LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that time has come for accountability of all without any discrimination and the so-called elites, after getting their loans of billions of rupees written off, will not escape accountability.

Addressing the launching ceremony of Khidmat Cards for financial assistance to children of labourers working at brick-kilns at Expo Center Johar Town, yesterday, he said minimum wages of labourers will be increased from Rs13,000 to Rs14,000 from 1st July.

Shehbaz said after brick kilns, children working at petrol pumps, workshops and hotels will also be brought to schools for equipping with education. He said target had been fixed to bring every child of the province to school. The chief minister said that he will not rest content till enrollment of last child labourer to school.

The chief minister said those usurping billions of rupees of the poor nation will now face accountability.

Those raising hue and cry over ToRs say it will take time to hold accountable all but they should know that the list of those getting their loans written-off is available and in the light of which decision can be made within half an hour.” Shehbaz said that PTI had grabbers present in its ranks who got their loans written off and also made off-shore companies.

“A child demands resignation from prime minister but he should know that corruption was rampant during the tenure of his father’s party and if details of corruption of only one mega scandal of his father comes fore, he will go calmly to Larkana,” the chief minister was of the view.

“This child has to move forward, therefore, he should talk which his party can tolerate,” he added. He said that scandals of corruption of billions of rupees during the period of his father were available and he should think before speaking. “Time of accountability has come and we all should be held accountable,” said Shehbaz.

The chief minister said that children of the prime minister will appear before the commission and reply to the allegations in this regard. He said everything will become clear in investigation of the commission. He said the commission will also hold accountable those who got their loans written off. Despite written off loans, these people have palaces, planes and large vehicles and they spend crores of rupees for going to Europe for recreation. He said that despite getting their loans written off they also made off-shore companies.

The CM said that no one including judges, generals, politicians, traders and bureaucrats should escape accountability. He said he was also ready to face accountability. He asked Imran to think before taking decision, he will become tired and Shehbaz Sharif will go to the last limit for recovering looted money of the nation from those who got their loans written off. He claimed that a historic achievement had been made by saving Rs. 215 billion in the projects of federal and Punjab governments. He said Jahangir Tareen had sent him a damages notice for 10 billion rupees. The chief minister expressed hope that he will win this case and deposit 10 billion rupees to national exchequer.

He said labourers play a key role in strengthening of national economy. It is due to labourers that the industries are giving production and crops are produced in the fields. He said the journey of development and prosperity cannot be completed without progress and prosperity of labourers.

He said so far 48,000 children have been enrolled to schools after bringing out from brick-kilns. Every child is given Rs.1000 as monthly stipend while Rs.2000 have been provided to the parents of the children. He said that free books, uniform, stationery, shoes and pick-n-drop service have also been provided to the children. He said labour is not the fate of the children working at brick-kilns but book and pen, so that they can play their role in the development of the country like other children. He said Punjab government has provided books and pens to the children working at brick-kilns.

“Today is the day of decision and if we have to make Pakistan a developed country. It has to be transformed in accordance with the ideas of Quaid and Iqbal and we have to equip every child with knowledge.”

Shehbaz appreciated the role of brick-kiln owners and said that they extended cooperation to the government for sending children working at brick-kilns to schools and he is thankful to them. He said that if they will take one step ahead for the bright future of the children, he will move 10 steps ahead. He said that he was ready to help them regarding their genuine demands in connection with setting up of mechanical kilns. He said that due to greed and lust for money, future of thousands of children was ruined and lakhs of children were deprived of education since the creation of Pakistan.

“We have to learn from our mistakes of past and if future of the nation becomes bright due to our steps then this is a great service to the nation and country.” He said now no one could deprive the children of their bright future. The future of these children will be made bright like that of children of the elite, he added. He said that the targets of the development of the county could only be achieved through hard work, honesty and education.

He said that Punjab government was spending billions of rupees on schools and education of these children. The chief minister said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had promised that minimum wages of the workers will be Rs 15,000 by 2018 and he announced increase of 1000 rupees from July 1st in the existing minimum wages of Rs. 13,000.

Addressing to Provincial Minister for Labour, the chief minister said that he had given him target to eliminate child labour from hotels, workshops and petrol pumps and he had to achieve it at all costs.

In the end, the Chief Minister distributed Khidmat Cards among the children of labourers.