Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said on Monday smog was the biggest issue for the provincial government and it was hoped that the measures taken by the government would produce the desired results, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, she said the government had devised standard operating procedures (SOPs) as well as imposed green lockdowns in several areas of Lahore. “But one thing that we must bear in mind is that we can improve the air quality but cannot eliminate smog completely. China has been trying to control pollution in its capital Beijing for the last 26 years. But it has failed to do so despite its efforts,” Azma added.
Regarding a story published in newspapers yesterday, she said figures were fudged to show that the financial condition of other provinces was better than that of Punjab. “The province will give a surplus budget of Rs630 billion,” she claimed.
Referring to a fire at a factory in Peshawar, the provincial minister said that the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) talked about bringing a revolution. “But it does not have the resources to purchase diesel to put out the fire.”
Under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Azma went on to say, some of the best projects had been launched in the province. “The provincial government plans to build the best hospitals. May I know which new hospital KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur has built?”
Commenting on former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi’s emotional outburst today, she said she had never seen Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz weep. “It would have been better if Bushra had begged forgiveness for concocting cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam and Rana Sanaullah.”
“But they will have to give receipts to prove their innocence in graft cases,” the minister added.