Punjab to protect investment, property of expats: Shahbaz

[Salman]

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said as a result of wrong policies and worst corruption of federal government, people of Pakistan have been deprived of the fruits of democracy and the country is steeped in extreme difficulty.

According to a handout issued here Thursday, the Punjab chief minister who is on a visit to the UK said during the last four and a half years, federal government has completely failed at every front in solving the problems of the masses, which has resulted in chaos and despondency.

Shahbaz said Pakistan is facing internal and external challenges while national economy is being destroyed by energy crisis, rendering lakhs of workers unemployed, whereas national institutions have been ruined and the decisions of the courts are being ridiculed.

The chief minister was addressing a reception given in his honour by Lord Nazir Ahmad in London. The chief minister said problems of expatriate Pakistanis would be resolved on priority basis, and their investment in the country, especially in Punjab, would be accorded protection at all costs, while no mafia would be allowed to grab the land and property of Pakistanis based abroad.

He assured expatriate Pakistanis that every possible step would be taken to ensure protection of their investment and property while strict legal action would be initiated against the ‘Qabza’ mafia. He said Punjab government of the PML-N is implementing a comprehensive programme for progress and prosperity of the people, whereas development projects are being expeditiously completed throughout the province in a transparent manner.

He said revolutionary reforms, keeping in view the needs of the people, have been introduced in all development sectors including education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, transport and other sectors. The chief minister said during his meeting with British home secretary, he also raised the important issues of drone attacks in Pakistan and made it clear that innocent persons are getting killed as a result of drone strikes, increasing extremist tendency in the area. He said drone attacks are against the dignity of Pakistan and no sovereign country can accept such attacks.

Shahbaz said there is a great deal of resentment throughout the Islamic world against sacrilegious film while protest against it is continuing throughout the world, including Pakistan. He observed that no society can permit extremist and sacrilegious acts in the name of freedom of expression.

He said it is the need of the hour that effective legislation at the international level was undertaken to ensure respect for all religions, so that no mischievous element could ever think of committing such condemnable act in future.

He urged the expatriates to make investment in their country and avail the facilities provided to them by the Punjab government in this regard. The participants of the reception paid glowing tributes to Shahbaz for taking personal interest in solving the problems of Pakistanis living in Britain.