MURREE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Friday assured local politicians that Murree would be divided into two administrative subdivisions.

He also directed approval of building bylaws, additional funds for water supply, RMK road and Samli sanatorium projects costing millions of rupees for the Kohsar region.

He was addressing a meeting at the forest rest house at Bhurban, says a press release issued by MNA Sadaqat Ali Abbasi.

Mr Buzdar said Murree would soon be opened for tourism with SOPs keeping in view the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan for the promotion of tourism

MNA Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, municipal committee president Raja Haroon Mahfooz, Sohail Irfan Abbasi and Commander Qasim Satti and others were present in the meeting.

During the meeting, Mr Sadaqat Abbasi and Mr Mahfooz briefed the chief minister about the problems being faced by people of Murree. Keeping in view the importance of Murree, the chief minister showed his intention to divide Murree into two subdivisions.

According to sources, the 15 union councils of Murree are expected to be divided into two parts. The union councils in the upper belt include Murree city, Tret, Ghorra Gali, Masiyarri, Numbal, Rawat and some areas of Dewal. The lower belt includes some areas of UC Bhagwarri, Sahar Bagla, Potha Sharif, Charhan, Gahl and Bunn.

He said Murree is a popular hill station for which these decisions were very important and “we have placed Murree in a special status so that the problems faced by the local people can be solved.”

The chief minister said a meeting will be convened soon in which an announcement regarding Murree will be made and all promises made with the local people will be fulfilled.

Talking to Dawn, Assistant Commissioner Murree Zahid Hussain said keeping in view the importance of the hill station and its vast territorial area, posting of an additional deputy commissioner (general), superintendent of police, setting up of a new police station and other administrative measures were under consideration and a final decision would be taken by the chief minister.

Complaint cell

Presiding over a meeting held in Rawalpindi to review the performance of the chief minister’s complaint cell, Mr Buzdar said the cell will be made more effective to resolve public problems.

He said the complaint cell will be revamped and its complaint management system will be organised in collaboration with the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB).

PTI’s chief organiser Saifullah Niazi, senior vice president Arshad Daad and others attended the meeting.

The chief minister said focal persons will be deputed in every department for coordination with the cell while volunteers will be working as focal persons and special boards will be established to monitor the complaint cell.

He said the special boards will be authorised to take action by reviewing the performance of the complaint cell.

Mr Buzdar directed that nomination of members of the boards and committees of officials should be completed as soon as possible.

He said experienced and talented professionals should be included in the boards and committees on merit so that its performance could be further improved.

Meeting with Senate chairman

The chief minister called on Senate Chairman Mohammad Sadiq Sanjrani at Punjab House in Rawalpindi.

He apprised the Senate chairman about his recent Balochistan visit.

Mr Sanjrani thanked the chief minister for extending cooperation for the development of Balochistan.

Mr Buzdar said: “The Punjab government has provided Rs1 billion for setting up a hospital in Turbat and a community centre in Taftan.”

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2020