OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting which reviewed the provision of quality, comfortable and reliable transport facilities, and steps taken by the Lahore Transport Company for this. Chairman Lahore Transport Company Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan, MPA Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Chairman Planning & Development, Secretaries Finance, Transport, Commissioner and DCO Lahore and officers of Lahore Transport Company attended the meeting. Shahbaz Sharif said the LTC had been set up for providing better transport facilities, which was implementing speedily the course of action evolved with regard to the Bus Rapid Transport System and provision of new buses. He directed the Company to accelerate the pace of work on Bus Rapid Transport System and provide new buses with the cooperation of various firms so that best transport facilities could be provided at the earliest. He also directed the Company to evolve a plan with regard to 15 kilometres long bus rapid transport and purchase 300 new buses as well as agreement of provision of buses with various firms, and the government would provide resources for this purpose. Best operators should be selected for plying these buses and it should be completely outsourced. Besides air-conditioned coasters, the Company should also ply air-conditioned buses on routes and evolve a strategy for this purpose. Moreover, the Company should also ensure the buses should be cleaned and the staff of the buses should wear neat and clean uniform. Besides tracking system in the buses, there should be an effective monitoring system for ensuring punctuality of timings so that people should not feel inconvenience of long waiting, he said, adding that the CNG buses and four stroke CNG rickshaws be encouraged for pollution free environment. The CM directed Commissioner Lahore Division to formulate a plan with regard to launching of best bus service on Lahore Ring Road and private sector be encouraged for this purpose. Earlier, Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan gave a detailed briefing regarding provision of transport facilities to the people in the provincial metropolis, and said agreements had been made with two companies in this regard and up to December, 836 buses would be plying on various routes in the city under a phased programme. He informed that a plan for plying AC coasters on different routes had been finalised and 25 coasters would start plying from next month. He disclosed that the LTC had started process of issuing cards for providing free travelling facilities to the senior citizens and disabled persons and cards had been issued to more than 200 persons so far. He added that dialogue was going on with a Korean company regarding bus rapid transport system. Later, the CM also presided over a meeting with regard to Solid Waste Management in which he was apprised of the steps taken with regard to making provincial capital neat and clean. Chairman SWM Company Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan, Secretaries Local Government, Finance, Commissioner and DCO Lahore, Project Director Urban Unit and MD Solid Waste Management also attended the meeting. Iraqi ambassador: Iraqi Ambassador in Pakistan Dr Rushdi Mahmood Rasheed called on Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at CMs Secretariat here on Monday, and discussed bilateral relations and various matters of mutual interest with him. Member Punjab Assembly Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Chairman Lahore Transport Company Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan and Chairman Planning and Development were also present on the occasion.