LAHORE – Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said justice, merit and transparency were the hallmark of the provincial government. “If corruption and plunder are not stopped, I will renounce power and join the masses,” he announced. Addressing a balloting ceremony at Al-hamra Hall here on Tuesday to give Yellow Cabs, the chief minister said: “While merit has been ensured in Punjab, loot and plunder are rampant somewhere else and trillions of rupees are being pillaged.”
The chief minister said the government had provided a respectable public transport to the masses (Daewoo) some 13 years ago, but this process (of development) was interrupted by “a Daku Raj’ during which banks were robbed and nothing was done for the masses. The computerized balloting was held for the selection of 5,000 candidates in the second phase of the scheme.
The CM said that balloting for the Cabs was being held in a highly transparent manner. “It will result in provision of an honourable job opportunity for the deserving and low-income educated youth.”
Shahbaz said the PML-N government had always upheld merit whether it was the recruitment of the 38,000 science teachers or the recruitment of police constables, distribution of laptops and provision of education scholarships.
Another modern public transport service, he said, would be launched in Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur and Faisalabad within two months. Work of the Bus Rapid Transport System has been initiated on the Ferozepur Road. “This service”, he added, “will become available to the people of Lahore within two months.”
 According to him, the Punjab was being victimised and the departments devolved under the 18th amendment “have not been given to the province”.