Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that the provincial cabinet in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved the procedure of flats’ allotment in Lahore Development Authority (LDA) City Naya Pakistan Apartments, adding that the PTI government is fulfilling all its promises made to the public.

She expressed these views while addressing a press conference at 90-SQA here on Tuesday. Secretary Information Raja Jahangir Anwar and Director General Public Relations Ms Saman Rai were also present on the occasion.  

Dr Firdous said the cabinet authorized the LDA to enter into an agreement with the Bank of Punjab, adding that 4000 apartments will be constructed in the first phase and a special quota has been reserved for the journalists and lawyers as well. She said to facilitate more than 11 thousand low-grade employees, the cabinet decided to promote them in the next grade.

She said the cabinet approved the construction of a 200-bed Mother & Child Hospital at the venue of the old grain market godown in Multan. The provincial cabinet also approved to set up two new cement plants in DG Khan and Mianwali which will help provide employment as well as investment opportunities, she said.

The Special Assistant to CM said that it was also decided in the meeting to give Health Professional and Special Healthcare allowance to the doctors of the Population Welfare Department besides constituting a high-level committee to review the regularization scheme of slums and make final recommendations in this regard. She said the cabinet approved the formation of the provincial drug monitoring team and draft Punjab Hepatitis Rules. The cabinet approved terms and conditions for the posts of registrar and controller of examinations in government universities, she said. 

She said the cabinet authorized the Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab to expedite work on the development projects in Islamabad. The cabinet approved the implementation of MIT Act in Mayo Hospital and King Edward Medical College along with the approval to amend the Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions (Reforms) Amendment ACT 2020, she added.

Responding to a question, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the political end of the opposition is nearer as March is approaching. The so-called royal family of Raiwind is in the habit of making lame excuses to flee the country for saving its skin from the court of law and the scion Mariyam is also making a false claim of surgery to evade the law, she said.

Dr Firdous said that every strategy of PDM has failed and the Senate defeat is looming large for the PDM, adding that as Imran Khan is busy in action against the corrupts, the PDM is making more excuses to avoid the law. She said the government is fully committed to conducting surgery of the corrupt leaders and Mariyam should explain first that what sort of surgery she requires. Is it mental or she needs eye surgery because she is in the habit of hallucinations about the number of attendees in the meetings?

Earlier, the participants of the International Conference on Religious Freedom from the United States called on the Special Assistant to CM at her office and discussed matters of mutual interest. On this occasion, Dr Firdous said that Pakistan is a peaceful country and everyone here has religious freedom, adding that the government is taking steps to promote interfaith harmony. The visiting US delegation appreciated the efforts of Pakistan for hosting the International Conference on Religious Freedom 2021.