CM Shahbaz Sharif, UK Home Secretary discuss bilateral ties
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LAHORE: (APP) Secretary of State for Home Department UK Ms Amber Rudd called on Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday and discussed matters of mutual interest, promotion of bilateral ties and enhancement of cooperation in various fields.
They also decided to take further speedy steps to promote bilateral cooperation in the future. Praising the excellent measures for development in various fields by the Punjab government under the leadership of CM Shehbaz Sharif, the Secretary of State for Home Department UK said Shehbaz Sharif had taken the best measures for welfare of people in Punjab and without any doubt under the leadership of the chief minister excellent measures of public welfare had been taken and that she was pleased to notice visible improvement especially in the various fields, including education, health and the protection of women's rights.
She said she is impressed by the performance of the chief minister.
She said the UK and Pakistan were making the best cooperation and we are moving ahead jointly in the fields of development and progress. She said certainly the Punjab government had achieved various important targets and we have learned from you.
She congratulated the chief minister over the elimination of child labour from brick kilns and said ridding the children of child labour is your achievement.
She said the UK is standing with Pakistan for development and progress and we are also with Pakistan in the journey of democracy and the UK will continue cooperation in the fields of anti-terrorism, development and progress.
CM Shehbaz Sharif and the UK secretary also held talks at the delegation level.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and the UK have historic ties which are based on mutual respect and the increasing cooperating between both countries is praiseworthy.
He said we respect and highly regard the cooperation by the UK in the fields of education, health, skill development and other fields. He said the UK and Pakistan are important partners in the journey of development and progress, and both countries have strong economic links.
He said Pakistan gives special importance to the ties with the UK and partnership between the UK and Pakistan will further strengthen in the future. He said Punjab has taken exemplary steps for the empowerment of the women. He said the women have been given interest-free loans for the self-employment so that they could earn a respectable living for their families and the quota of the women in the government boards have been fixed at 33 per cent, while the quota of the women has also been increased in government jobs.
The CM said the under the Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF) one lakh and 75 thousands intelligent and brilliant and deserving students are being given scholarships and of this figure one lakh and 20 thousands are girl students.
He added Rs 20 billion education scholarship program is the biggest program of its kind in South Asia which had provided education facilities to the poor students.
He said the first special centre for the harassment victim women in Multan has been completed and it will be inaugurated soon and such centers will be set up other districts. He said women should participate in the practical field with courage and zeal so that the process of development and progress could be sped up.
He said the scope of the PM Health Insurance Scheme will be widened to the whole province and the poor families will be given excellent medical facilities and this program will also benefit more women and children.
He said there is no room of extremist mentality in Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam and the Pakistani nation has given unprecedented sacrifices in the war against the terrorism.
The CM said the whole nation was united to eliminate terrorism and the nation has resolved to uproot terrorism. He said political and civilian leadership has taken coordinated measures for the elimination of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism. He said the unprecedented sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in the war against terrorism are matchless in the world history.
Shehbaz Sharif said we will also defeat terrorist mind-set along with terrorists and their facilitators. He said terrorists are only terrorists and they have no religion and geographic identity.
The Punjab government has set up special anti-terrorism force for the elimination of terrorism, he said, adding this force has been given modern training and this force is proving to be the first field formation against terrorism.
He said the Punjab government has increased the efficiency of the government departments with the use of IT technology and this step has provided relief to the people. He said police stations have been made digital with the use of IT and work on the Lahore Safe City project is continuing at the cost of Rs.12 billion and this project will be completed in three to four months and this project will be launched in other six big cities. He said the UK can provide help to the Punjab government in the safe city project.
CM Shehbaz Sharif said the Punjab government is the first provincial government in the South Asia which has eliminated the child labour. He said 83000 children working on the kilns have been enrolled in schools and they have been given free books, uniforms and education scholarship while their parents have also been provided financial aid. He said child labour will also be eliminated from hotels, workshops, filling stations and restaurants.
He said the Punjab government has ensured transparency and speed in all projects and several energy projects are being completed at the fast-track that will end loadshedding in the country once and for all.
The chief minister congratulated Ms Amber Rudd for assuming the charge as the Secretary of State for Home Department, UK. Director International Mr. Richard Clarke, UK High Commissioner Mr. Thomas Drew, special adviser Muhammad Hussein, Policy Adviser Mr. Charles Edwards, President of DIFD in Pakistan Ms Joanna Reid and others were included in the UK delegation.
Provincial ministers Rana Sanaullah, Sardar Ayub Gadhi, Begum Zakiya Shahnawaz, Khalil Tahir Sandhu, Jehangir Khanzada, Advisers Dr. Umer Saif, Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Chief Secretary, IGP and other concerning officials were also present.
