Rawalpindi   -  Provincial Minister Local Government and Community Development Mian Mahmood Al-Rasheed said that PTI would also defeat the opposition in cantonment elections like Kashmir and Sialkot by-polls.

He expressed these views while addressing a presser with local leaders of PTI at Commissioner Rawalpindi Office here on Monday. He said that our government is keen to hold local body elections as soon as possible. In this regard, the date of local body elections will be announced soon after completing the legal process which is expected to be finalized in the next session of the Punjab Assembly. He said that we are bringing a robust system in the history of Punjab to strengthen local government. The minister further said that 30 percent of the development budget will go directly to the account of the Village Council and the Nazims and Mayors of all tehsils will be directly elected. This is surely a risky decision, but it is inevitable for the foundation of a strong system, he said.  

Responding to a question from media persons, he said that the chairman has no authority under the Local Bodies Act 2013, therefore we abolished this system. After Kashmir elections, victory of Sialkot elections by defeating PML-N, their stronghold has been shattered. He said that the prosecution of NAB and FIA is weak and new legislation is needed for this for which efforts are being made. We have also held accountable our ministers and powerful people and they are being investigated.  He said that paper work on the second option of Rawalpindi Ring Road is in full swing and consultancy process is in progress.  

Provincial Minister Mian Mahmood Al-Rasheed said that the Punjab government has set a record and presented a development budget of Rs560 billion and in less than a month more than four thousand schemes have been approved and are in tendering process now. Afterwards, he presided over a meeting to review the profile of Rawalpindi District in the Committee Room of the Commissioner Office, Rawalpindi. Additional Commissioner (Coordination) Arif Umar Aziz, Managing Director WASA and heads of all government departments attended the meeting.

Taking a detailed look at the performance of the departments, the provincial minister said that the government and government agencies would no longer be allowed to make mere claims of public service but would present practical evidence.  The accountability system will be so strict that everyone will have to be accountable.  He further said that it was the duty of government departments to provide relief to the people.