GUJRANWALA - Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif declared that rape incidents, especially of innocent minor children will not be tolerated and the govt was striving hard to crush such elements.
The cruel and inhumane elements involved in these activities disgrace the whole society and they will be dealt with iron hand. The Punjab CM pledged that the government would go to any extent to provide justice and solace to the aggrieved families.
Shahbaz Sharif expressed the views during his visit to the house of a deaf and dumb girl who was raped by a cruel person some days ago.  The Punjab chief minister sympathised with the parents of the victim and assured them of justice.
CM Shahbaz also expressed dissatisfaction over the poor performance of the Police Department and ordered Punjab IG of Police Khan Baig to take strict action against the culprits. He also ordered the IG Police complete investigation of such cases in short period.  On the occasion, Shahbaz Sharif announced free education for the affected girl and presented a cheque of Rs300,000 as financial assistance to the affected family.
Meanwhile, on his way back, the Punjab CM had to faced a protest staged by the family of a person who was murdered some eight months ago. The widow of the deceased Aasia alleged that investigation officer had received heavy bribe and cleared the accused in his report. At which the CM called the woman to CM House Lahore and assured that she would be provided justice. He ordered the police officers to submit a complete report about the matter.
Rs5 billion gas, power theft detected: State Minister for Trade Engineer Khurram Dastagir said that the operation against electricity and gas theft was briskly underway and had yield positive results as theft pilferage worth 4,500 million gas and 538 million electricity had been detected so far.  He said that there were some misunderstandings between the government and traders on this issue but it would be resolved accordingly with the consultation of chambers of commerce so that effective eradication of power and gas pilferage could be ensured.
Khurram Dastagir stated this while addressing a meeting of the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry here the other day. State Minister for Housing Usman Ibrahim, Punjab Trade Minister Ch Muhammad Shafiq, Punjab Industry Secretary Irfan Ali, Sui Gas MD Arif Hameed, Gujranwala DCO and other officers were also present. On the occasion, former GCCI presidents and members expressed their severe grievances against what they called unjustified way of raids against electricity and gas theft and alleged that honourable members of the chamber were being disgraced in the name of electricity and gas theft.
During the meeting a committee was constituted by the ministers after consultation and the chamber administration for better coordination between the district administration and the GCCI. Former GCCI presidents Haji Murad Ali, Sheikh M Naseem, Akhlaq Ahmed Butt, Sheikh Sarwat Ikram, Malik Zaheerul Haq, Rana Shahzad Hafiz and Muhammad Fayyaz Butt also expressed their views in the meeting and said that the business community supported the government on the gas and electricity pilferage issue, but baseless cases against the traders were intolerable.  Speaking at the meeting GCCI President Noman Salah Uddin warned that cases against the traders during gas and electricity theft operation would not be tolerated. He demanded that the way of operation against electricity and gas theft may be reviewed to make it make more transparent.