FAISALABD - Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar Sunday said that there was no rift with the coalition partner Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) and he was enjoying cordial relations with Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Talking to media after installation of a water filtration plant at the Central Jail Faisalabad, he said the PML-Q was an important ally of the government and its grievances would be addressed, adding that there was no point of dispute between the two parties.

About the upcoming Senate elections on two Punjab seats, he said that Waleed Iqbal and Seemi Ezdi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would win these seats with the support of coalition partners including the PML-Q.

To a query, Sarwar said that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar was the only fountainhead of power and being a chief executive of the province, later was enjoying all the powers.

About the meeting between the PML-Q leaders and Jahangir Tareen, the governor said that sometimes misunderstandings crop up even within a family, but were easily resolved, adding that he enjoyed decades-long relations with the Chaudhrys.

About the 100-day performance of the Punjab government, he said Rome was not built in a day, adding that the mess created due to mismanagement of the previous political regimes during the past 70 years could not be cleared overnight. He said that accountability was vital for establishing a corruption-free society, adding that the PTI leadership including Prime Minister Imran Khan had presented itself for accountability.

About the private-public partnership, he said philanthropists must come forward and play their role in installation of water filtration plants for a healthy society, adding that it was not possible for the governments to take all the financial burdens.

The governor said the PTI government was working to bring change in society, adding that the provincial ministers, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Raja Yasir Ammar, Murad Raas, were working day and night in the education, health, local government and other departments to ensure change and provide maximum relief to the masses.

Responding to a question about renovation work of Central Jail Faisalabad, he said the work was being done for some former ministers who were expected to be arrested. The Punjab governor said the jails should be in good state as all the prisoners were citizens of Pakistan.

Earlier, addressing water filtration plant installation ceremony for the inmates, he said he had a passion to serve the nation in the education and health sectors especially for the provision of clean drinking water to the masses. Sarwar said some 2000 saplings were also planted at the jail in the light of Prime Minister Imran Khan's vision of Clean and Green Pakistan.

Recollecting his past meeting with some Glasgow-based doctors who had told him that about 100,000 children were admitted into the Children Hospital Lahore due to use of polluted water, he said, "The very moment I made up my mind to work for the provision of clean drinking water and the water-related health hazards," he added.

The governor said the Sarwar Foundation had installed many filtration plants in various cities of Punjab, adding that the foundation would install water filtration plants in 42 prisons of the province. He said the kitchen at the prison was also renovated, besides provision of some wooden benches. Sarwar also promised to provide medical equipment required at the jail.

The governor thanked the philanthropists who had promised to install water filtration plants in different cities of Punjab. Sarwar hailed the jail administration for providing best facilities to the prisoners and taking care of their needs. He said the prisoners should be taught some skill during their imprisonment so that they could become useful citizens of the society.

The governor said dispensation of justice was the top most priority of PTI government, adding that the country could only traverse the road to prosperity if effective justice system was established in the country.

Sarwar said he had dedicated his life to philanthropy and service of the Pakistanis after he surrendered his British citizenship.

He said only those people lived in the annals of history who served mankind. Provincial Minister for Prisons Chaudhary Jawahar Hussain Bahraich, Inspector General Prisons Mirza Shahid Saleem Baig, members of provincial assembly (MPAs), commissioner Faisalabad, philanthropists, other government functionaries and a large number of prisoners were present on the occasion.

The Punjab governor also announced to pay fines of up to Rs100000 for the immediate release of the prisoners who were denied freedom due to non-payment of fines.

Prior to his address, Sarwar visited various parts of the prison while he was also given a detailed briefing on the working of the prisons department and various facilities being provided at the Central Jail Faisalabd.

The governor assured his full support for the provision of funds and upgradation of service structure of the jail staff.

Separately, addressing a workers convention here at a local hotel which was attended by Parliamentarians, Chairman FDA, Chairman Parks and Horticulture Authority Chaudhry, Chairman WASA and a large number of workers, Punjab Governor Ch Sarwar Sunday said PTI government would take all its allies onboard in the decision-making process for strengthening democracy and national institutions in the country.

The governor said all ministers were making efforts for bringing improvement in performance of their respective departments to provide relief to people. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was monitoring performance of ministers and also guiding them about the government priorities from time to time for completion of 100 days plan. The governor said that he had learnt from his 40-year political experience that political parties which did not give respect and importance to its workers could never survive.

He said he would soon call the party workers for tea at Governor's House and listen to their problems. He urged the parliamentarians to give priority to redressing issues of the party workers.

He said there were a number of problems in industrial city Faisalabad due to wrong policies of the past governments and textile sector faced severe crisis and failed to achieve export targets.

He, however, said that Faisalabad would be made the Manchester of Pakistan once again by taking all stakeholders on-board.

The governor said that door of his office were always open for the workers, adding that he as a worker, knew their difficulties and problems. He said ministers and other participants attending the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, were independent in expressing their views. He said that bureaucracy had also been directed to take measures for solving problems of people.