ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said his government was considering introducing a new legislation to target landgrabbers to ensure strict action against them.
Addressing the groundbreaking of various development projects by Capital Development Authority in Islamabad on Wednesday, the prime minister mentioned the emergence of qabza (grabber) groups in the capital and the rest of the country, stressing a check against them.
He said the mafia was acting with nefarious objectives to take through force the possession of properties.
He pointed that the legal proceedings lacking sufficient evidence resulted in the bails of those accused of land grabbing and also the minor penalties did not act as a deterrent against the crime.
“The new law will help mitigate the sufferings of people fallen victim to illegal dispossession and ensure strict action against the land grabbers,” the prime minister said.
To counter the consequences impacts of rapid urbanisation, he said the government had chalked out a strategy to prepare city master plans, green areas and forestation, addressing traffic problems and eliminating land grabbers.
He mentioned that the launch of Miyawaki forests in Islamabad and the rest of the country was aimed at the growth of green cover in a shorter period. Also, the conversion of brick kilns to zig-zag technology is a step in the right direction aimed at reducing the alarming pollution levels.
Imran emphasised making Islamabad a model city for the rest of the country in terms of plantation.
He expressed satisfaction that CDA had revamped several parks to provide citizens and families with a place for leisure.
The prime minister lauded the performance of the authority for generating a revenue of Rs136 billion compared to the deficit of Rs5 billion at the time his government assumed power three years ago.
On the occasion, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said CDA had revamped 200 out of 240 parks of the capital with four new to be established soon.
He said an exclusive “Ladies Bazar” would be set up with women-only shopkeepers that would only allow visitors.
He highlighted that an emergency help service like Rescue 1122 was required in Islamabad as a prompt response to any untoward incidents and accidents.
PM STRESSES ON UTILISING TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE LIFE EASY FOR PAKISTANIS: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday called on the government to utilise technological methods to make life easy for Pakistanis and remove hassles and hurdles for them.
The premier was speaking at a launching ceremony of issuance of letters of administration and succession certificates by the Punjab government in collaboration with NADRA.
He reiterated the government’s resolve to pursue e-governance for a better performance and delivery system.
The prime minister observed that a revolution had been brought to the world by the information and technology sector, adding that it had also ensured a hassle-free governance system.
“The government is implementing e-governance to end the routine files and paper system,” he said. “For the first time, land records are being computerized to facilitate masses,” he added.
The prime minister said such a system was being introduced in Islamabad, saying that the government wanted to ensure it was gunning to ensure it would happen by the month of August.
PM Khan said that it was the government’s job to remove hardships in people’s lives and serve them as it functioned on their taxes. On the other hand, the system decayed when people were made to serve the government, he added.
Calls on NADRA to facilitate overseas Pakistanis
The prime minister said the government expected NADRA to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, adding that he wanted to enable them to take part in the general elections with a “foolproof voting system”.
He said about 9mn overseas Pakistanis were the government’s assets as they had been serving the country economically by sending remittances.
The prime minister further said that introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) would eliminate all polling issues. In the past, except the 1970 elections, Opposition parties had been raising objections over election results.
People will trust EVMs, said PM Khan, pointing out how former US president Donald Trump had also raised objections to the results of the US Presidential Elections 2020 but had been unable to prove anything due to technological evidence.
