LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has said that terrorists infiltrating Balochistan and other provinces are operating from outside. “This is not a war between Balochistan and Punjab but a war for Pakistan’s security,” she said.
Azma said: “We do not want provincial conflicts, but Punjabi labourers are being identified by their ID cards and killed in Balochistan. So-called YouTubers and Mehrang Lango are silent on the current situation in Balochistan. They do not see Punjabi labourers being martyred. For God’s sake, think as Pakistanis. A YouTube’s tweet and an Indian journalist’s tweet look identical. We must address this as a state.”
Talking to media, here Friday, Azma said the Punjab government is continuously working for public relief. The Punjab provincial cabinet has decided to provide ration cards to 1.5 million families, she said.
On the occasion of the last Friday of Ramadan, she prayed for the alleviation of the hardships of the Pakistani people. She emphasized that due to the efforts of the Prime Minister’s team, inflation has dropped to its lowest level in 25 years, proving the effectiveness of the government’s policies. Azma stated that the Punjab government has worked hard to control food prices. High-quality goods are being ensured in Ramadan and relief markets to provide maximum relief to the people, she said.
Azma also revealed that 120 agenda items were approved in the Thursday’s provincial cabinet meeting, making it the longest agenda in cabinet history. Modern systems are being introduced in Punjab to control crime. An air ambulance system is being established in Bhakkar, while a crime control system will be activated throughout the province. Additionally, a special investigation unit is being set up to prevent sexual crimes, which will make investigations more efficient and swift, she added.
The Information Minister further stated that the Chief Minister personally reviewed the arrest of a suspect in Faisalabad and instructed authorities to quickly apprehend other fugitives. She made it clear that Punjab now conducts investigations on scientific grounds; ensuring suspects are arrested within hours. The Chief Minister has unequivocally stated that crimes against women will not be tolerated, marking this as his red line. She has directed the police that traditional delaying tactics are no longer acceptable and that swift justice must be ensured, Azma said.
Special Assistant for Price Control, Salma Butt, stated that under the “Ramadan Nighaban” package, financial assistance is being provided to the families of deceased pay order holders. She mentioned that due to the lack of biometric verification, 300,000 senior citizens are being provided assistance via SMS services to ease their difficulties.
She highlighted that in the past 26 days, over 12.8 million people have shopped from various district stalls. In the last 24 hours alone, over 440,000 people made purchases from model bazaars and 977 relief stalls, demonstrating the government’s efforts to provide public relief.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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