LAHORE - Punjab Governor Ch Mohammad Sarwar on Wednesday announced his complete dissociation from Sarwar Foundation, and NGO engaged in public welfare projects.
“From now onwards, I will not take part in any fund-raising activity on the platform of Sarwar Foundation,” he said while addressing a news conference at the Governor House here.
The governor also declared that all funds raised by Sarwar Foundation for provision of safe drinking water to the people would be transferred into the accounts of Aab-e-Pak Authority.
Admitting that it came under the conflict of interest, the governor said that he would remain aloof from this foundation as long as he was the governor. Sarwar Foundation is being run by Begum Governor but the governor was attending fund-raising events which incited criticism from political circles.
The governor said that Sarwar Foundation started its welfare projects in Pakistan in the year 2000. “I have raised funds in the past and made hospitals and schools to serve people here. Water filtration plants installed by Sarwar Foundation at less expense than the government are functional till date,” he said.
Sarwar also dismissed reports about his resignation and differences with the prime minister, Punjab Chief Minister and the PML-Q leadership.
“I am neither resigning nor I am running away from politics, and I have no differences whatsoever with the PTI leadership and the allied parties”.
Governor, however, said that the PTI would have got two-third majority in Punjab Assembly had the leadership accepted all his decisions. “But, in a democracy, decisions are made with majority vote and all should abide by the collective decisions,” he added.
He also said that no political change was coming in Punjab and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was going to stay for five years. “Usman Buzdar is the chief executive and as powerful as Shehbaz Sharif was during his term,” he said. Sarwar said both federal and Punjab governments were not facing any threat from the opposition parties. “We have been elected by the people of Pakistan to serve nation for five years under the leadership of Imran Khan,” he said.
Ch Sarwar defended his role of Patron-in-Chief in Aab-e-Pak Authority saying that serving the humanity has always been his passion. “That’s the reason for my enthusiasm for provision of clean drinking water to the poor and common people of this country,” he said, adding that PTI had also promised in its election campaign to provide clean drinking water to the people.
“We are determined to fulfill all the promises made with people,” he added. Sarwar said he had been assigned two important tasks by prime minister - provision of clean drinking water and religious tourism. He reiterated that provision of clean drinking water to people of Punjab had always been his passion, but a year had been lost already in achieving the targets. “In the coming four years not a single day will be missed. Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority will provide clean drinking water to people at large, very soon,” he observed.