No politicians’ name to be on titles of government funded programmes, says Zartaj Gul
Shares
MULTAN: Federal minister for climate change Zartaj Gull said that titles of all the government-funded programmes and institutions carrying politicians’ names would be changed.
She said this while talking to media after addressing a plantation ceremony organized by Sultan Foundation here.
Responding to a question regarding talk of changing the title of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), she said that she has highest regards for Benazir Bhutto but added that no programme or project should be named after politicians as these were being run by taxpayers’ money. And instead, she added, these should be named after our national legends like Mohtarma Fatima Jinah, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and others.
When asked about institutions named after other politicians, she said that titles of these would also change.
She said that ministry of climate change was working industriously to achieve the objectives under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Clean and Green Pakistan vision.
She said that plantation was the easiest and low cost method to improve environment and added that our religion of Islam also advocates cleanliness as half of faith.
Zartaj Gull vowed to improve Pakistan’s forest area from existing four per cent to 25 per cent to match the international standards.
She said that Safaidah and palm trees were planted during the Nawaz Sharif regime which she added were not environment friendly. Safaidah tree absorbs fifteen gallons of water a day and we think that this tree should not be planted in agriculture areas.
She said that trees were cut from along the Lahore canal during the previous regime that caused Rs 120 million revenue loss to provincial government per annum against black plum (Jamun) contract.
She said that excessive rains may cause floods this year and added that government was preparing plans in cooperation with Disaster Management Authority to ensure it causes less damage and instead deliver benefits.
She said that floods carry fertile soil with them but past governments never prepared strategies to extract benefits out of floods.
To a question, Zartaj Gull said that price hike was the impact of wrong policies of previous government. She added that government want to bring ease of life to the people and announced that biggest ‘Ramadan Package’ in Pakistan’s history would be announced this year. She said that a strategy was also being prepared for procurement of wheat.
She said that crop maturity duration has increased due to rains.
To another question, she said that government would not allow replacing orchard area with housing colonies and would not allow cutting of mango trees any further.
She said that local genre of trees were being planted which have compatibility with the local weather conditions.
Earlier, speaking at the ceremony she hailed contribution of Sultan Foundation to improving environment adding that they were planting trees along 70 kilometre long motorway from Multan to Khanewal.
She added that small trees would be planted to decorate motorway in the first phase. Fruit trees would be planted in the second phase and then the Sheesham and Keekar trees in the third phase.
She appealed the people particularly the philanthropists to come forward in aid of government’s initiative of planting trees to improve environment.
APP
