LAHORE, Oct 25: The Punjab government has decided to run its offices on solar energy keeping in view the deepening energy crisis in the country.

A decision to the effect was taken at a meeting held here on Thursday with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in the chair.

The chief minister directed that a comprehensive plan should be formulated with regard to utilization of solar energy in government offices, including the provincial secretariat.

He said that the program would initially start from Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan and would be extended to other cities and towns later.

The meeting also discussed investment in hydro-power and the progress of the on-going energy projects.

Shahbaz also sought completion of tendering process of Ujala Program immediately under which free solar panels would be provided to the poor and solar lights to boy and girl students of matric living in backward and far flung areas.

He told the meeting that a Chinese company had offered an investment of $50 million in the energy sector and directed the authorities concerned to hold talks with the firm.

Landfill site

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is ready to take up the challenge of cleaning the political field.

Alleging that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has submerged in the filth of corruption, Shahbaz said if given a chance he would accept the challenge of clearing this filth. The chief minister was talking to the media after opening the sanitary landfill site at Lakhudair here on Thursday.

He said how the PPP could strike an alliance with other political parties when the party itself lacked unity.About receiving money from ISI funds, he said there was no need to further clarify the situation after the statement of former army chief Gen Aslam Beg.

Gen Beg had said in an interview on Wednesday that Nawaz Sharif had not been given money by the ISI.

Meanwhile, a large number of residents belonging to adjoining areas reached the venue.

PML-N workers also came there with a lion which became a centre of attention for the participants.

They also raised slogans in favour of Shahbaz. — Staff Reporter