Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar said on Tuesday that the PTI government right after coming to power had started an indiscriminate accountability process, and on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan launched a crackdown against the qabza mafia.
CM Buzdar expressed this while addressing a press conference here at the CM office. Chief Whip Punjab Assembly MPA Syed Abbas Ali Shah, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, SMBR and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister were also present on the occasion.
The CM said that all the state institutions exhibited bravery and courage to break the backbone of qabza mafia (Land grabbers). He added that the previous governments set up illegal housing societies, petrol pumps, cinemas houses, commercial plazas, wagon stands by occupying the state land. They were involved in tax evasion, theft of conversion fee and other taxes as well. They left no stone unturned to weaken the national institutions. The national exchequer suffered loss of billions of rupees during the previous governments as the politicians joined hands with the corrupt elements in the institutions.
Buzdar said that PTI soon after holding public office freed the institutions of political from political interference besides empowering them. These institutions got the state land vacated from the illegal occupation of qabza mafia, including urban and rural which is worth more than Rs.5 billion. The incumbent government is implementing a zero-tolerance policy against qazba mafia and encroachments.
He said that there is no such precedent of getting this much land vacated from the land grabbers in the past. He said that operation against illegal encroachments and qabza mafia is the need of the hour, and this operation is being conducted without any discrimination and will continue in the future as well. Precious state land will be protected from the qabza mafia, he said adding that the same qabza mafia has grabbed the land of various government departments for many years including 90,516 kanal land of the Auqaf department and 5,997 acre land of forests department.
He also promised that the incumbent government is determined to provide maximum relief to the people of the province and that the salaries of federal and provincial employees will also be raised.
Meanwhile, the CM also visited Expo Centre Lahore and reviewed the facilities being provided to the senior citizens who came for vaccination. During his visit he talked to the health workers who administered the vaccine and lauded their services. Buzdar also inquired after the aged citizens and asked them about the facilities available for them at the Expo Centre. They expressed their satisfaction over the facilities being provided to them and said that the Punjab government has made the best arrangements over there. They were of the view that they have not faced any problem in getting a vaccine. They also gave blessings to the chief minister for making exemplary arrangements.
