Staff Reporter
LAHORE: The British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner met with Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and former federal minister Moonis Elahi at the chief minister’s office and discussed matters of mutual interest. Punjab and the UK agreed to promote cooperation in various fields, including health and technical education. The British high commissioner expressed his regret over the loss of life and property due to floods and vowed to continue cooperating with the Punjab government in education, health and other sectors.
The CM termed Pakistan and the UK strong partners of development and prosperity and appreciated the UK’s contribution to helping the flood victims.
“The provincial government values British cooperation for improvement in peace and security and social sectors,” he said and expressed the desire to expand the bilateral relations in different fields. “The government would extend the ongoing reforms program initiated with British cooperation in different sectors. A comprehensive plan has been devised for the rehabilitation of flood-affected areas and the victims. The survey has started to recover the losses of livestock,” he mentioned and informed that houses would be built for the flood victims.
Chief Minister Elahi said that a plan was devised to secure the rainwater in the mountainous area of Koh-e-Sulaiman in 2002 but the subsequent government did not do any work on this project. “Now, the provincial government is going to restart this scheme,” he added and hoped that this beneficial project would help to deal with the situation caused by rains in Koh-e-Sulaiman. Alongside, the government was also lifting the ban on recruitment early to provide jobs,” he concluded. Advisor Amer Saeed Raan, UK’s Representative in Punjab Clara Strandhoj, political advisor Talal Raza and Senior Development Adviser Sana Zia were also present.
