LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has warned the concerned authorities that the ongoing operation against land mafias and encroachers is not aimed at depriving poor people and labourers of their earning opportunities.

“The campaign is aimed at recovering state lands from the mafias,” he said in a statement on Friday. According to a handout, the CM took notice of complaints about action against common people during the drive against encroachers and land grabbers.

He issued directives to authorities not to disturb the people like vendors and labourers. “The PTI is an party of the common people and I am personally monitoring the operation,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chief minister ordered setting up of a task force to review matters of private hospitals and colleges. The proposed task force would review different issues including fee structure of private hospitals, provision of healthcare facilities and procedure of recruitment of doctors.

The chief minister had sought a detailed briefing about admissions, doctors' recruitment and facilities in private medical colleges. The CM also directed for another task force for private schools, saying it would review different issues including recruitment of teachers, staff, procedure of evaluating their competency and fee structure of private schools.

CM Buzdar also sought briefing on the entry test for admissions to medical colleges and engineering universities. The students fulfilling the merit criteria in Punjab province would be given their rights and any injustice with the brilliant students would not be tolerated, the chief minister concluded.

Also, Auqaf Minister Pir Syed Saeedul Hasan Shah called on the CM at his office. The chief minister said on the occasion that all were moving forward for elimination of fanaticism in the new Pakistan. Political leadership as well as the military establishment were united in the war against terrorism, he added.

He said that religious harmony and promotion of brotherhood was essential for national unity and the efforts for maintaining the durable peace could be succeeded by following the golden principles of tolerance, patience and harmony.