Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has given approval of Rs 500 million for Punjab Housing & Town Planning Agency.

He gave approval while presiding over a high-level meeting at CM Office here on Monday. During the meeting progress on Naya Pakistan Housing Project for low-income persons was reviewed and detailed briefing was also given to the participants on Naya Pakistan Housing strategy.

While addressing the meeting, Usman Buzdar said that obstacles should be removed in order to ensure completion of Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme and financial conditions of common man should be kept in mind while chalking out housing policy of the project. All out attention should be paid while constructing small houses in the province, he added. It has also been decided during the meeting to launch rural housing project in 17 model villages.

The chief minister directed that small houses and parks should be constructed on four acres land in rural areas and rural housing project will be initiated in collaboration with Akhuwat. Matters pertaining to private housing scheme rules, commercialization fee and transfer of state land were also being reviewed and proposal to abolish Punjab Land Development Company gradually was also being reviewed in detail.

Provincial Minister Housing Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Advisor Dr Salman Shah, Chief Secretary Punjab, Chairman P&D, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Principal Secretary to CM, concerned Secretaries, Chairman Housing Taskforce Punjab Yaqoob Tahir Izhar, General Secretary Housing Taskforce Punjab, Chief Executive Officer Urban Unit and concerned officers also participated in the meeting.

Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on Buzdar at his office on Monday. On the occasion, both the leaders strongly condemned unprovoked firing on the civilian population by the Indian army at Line of Control (LoC) and paid tributes to the bravery of the Pak army for giving a befitting reply. Both also paid tributes to the sacrifices rendered by martyred Lance Naik Zahid and other citizens.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that India wants to destroy the regional peace but the struggle of Kashmiris will materialize in Occupied Kashmir. Kashmir and Pakistan are Siamese twins and the Indian government has written a new history of barbarity and cruelty against the oppressed Kashmiris.

The chief minister said that Pak army has given a lesson to the wicked enemy by sending Indian army men to hell as Pakistan’s armed forces are ever-ready to defend the beloved motherland. India should fully understand that the Pak army has the fullest capability to give a befitting reply to Indian aggression as 220 million people are with the armed forces of Pakistan, added Usman Buzdar.

He expressed the satisfaction that Pakistan army has incurred heavy losses to the enemy by giving a timely response. The chief minister regretted that India wants to push the region to war by targeting civilians in the garb of baseless allegations. He said that targeting of civilians is a highly condemnable act and a blatant violation of all international laws. It is regrettable that India is fanning tensions through its nefarious activities, he added.

Usman Buzdar said that India is unnerved after the adoption of inhuman actions in Occupied Kashmir. The Pakistani nation pays tributes to the courage of Kashmiris living in an environment of oppression and barbarity in Occupied Kashmir and Pakistanis are standing with them like a solid rock, he added.