• Urges implementation of administrative reforms • Says digitisation of land record vital for assessment of residential needs

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said the government was committed to utilising all available resources to improve the justice system in the country to provide relief and justice to people.

The prime minister also called for stern action against corrupt element by strengthening reward and punishment system.

The prime minister issued directives for removal of bottlenecks in the much ambitious Ravi Urban Development Project and asked for addressing problems in shifting Walton Airport, Lahore.

To provide relief to the common man, Mr Khan emphasised the need for implementation of administrative reforms within the prescribed period.

“The previous government took advantage of lawlessness by marring the system,” the prime minister said while presiding over a meeting on the criminal justice system and implementation of the civil procedure code in the provinces and Islamabad.

Later, chairing a weekly meeting of the National Coordination Committee on housing, construction and development, he said digitisation of land record was vital for assessment of people’s residential requirements and effective planning for the provision of shelter to them.

Naya Pakistan Housing Authority chairman retired Lt Gen Anwar Ali Haider apprised the meeting of the provinces’ performance in the provision of data to the surveyor general of Pakistan for digitisation of the land record.

The provincial chief secretaries briefed the meeting about the measures taken for provision of data for digitization of land record by the provinces.

The prime minister stressed the need for provision of data, saying the digitization of land record would bring about a significant improvement in the construction sector through better planning and elimination of ‘land mafia’.

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman, Javed Ghani while presenting a review of the tax incentives package, FBR portal and increase in registration of builders and developers, told the meeting that construction activities across the country, particularly in Punjab, had significantly increased.

Punjab Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafiq briefed the meeting about the measures taken for the protection of green area in the province and evolving a future action plan. He said the province had to face a decrease in green areas and an increase in environmental pollution due to disorderly spread of construction projects, particularly housing schemes, in the past.

However, since 2019, he said, the provincial government had started implementation of a comprehensive action plan, formulated through effective coordination among relevant departments and participation of civil society for increasing green areas.

The chief secretary also apprised the meeting of the implementation of an action plan for executing urban forest projects and increasing green cover in various cities of the province this year on the pattern of the Urban Forest at Liberty Market, Lahore.

Besides, the meeting was also informed about the framing of rules and regulation for protecting green areas in the construction projects of Punjab.

Advisor to the PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam told the meeting about consultation on piloting the housing schemes with green building code and controlling urban flooding in big cities.

The prime minister, while stressing the importance of environmental protection, said they had to take timely measures before the effects of environmental pollution reached dangerous levels in big cities.

Describing environmental pollution as a “silent killer” which affected health of common man, he said the government had taken urgent steps to protect the masses from adverse effects of environmental pollution.

The prime minister issued directives for expediting the plantation campaign and the formulation of a coordinated strategy along with a monitoring mechanism to protect green areas in the provinces.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman briefed the meeting about the progress of ongoing infrastructure development projects in the federal capital as well as future projects.

The prime minister, while stressing the importance of multi-storey construction and protection of green areas in the capital, called for taking special care of the protection of green areas in construction projects.

PM visits Lahore

Prime Minister Imran Khan is visiting Lahore on Friday (today) where he will have a series of meetings on development projects, health coverage and political issues.

The prime minister will also have one-on-one meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2021