Lahore: The Punjab government has set December 31 as the latest deadline for the identification of benami properties in the province, a news source reported. Chief Secretary (CS) Yousaf Naseem Khokar on Tuesday directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) concerned to complete the process in their respective districts by the end of December. Previously, the provincial executive had fixed September 30 as the expiration date.
Khokar gave the instructions during a meeting, which he presided over through a video-link. The attendees discussed the steps taken for the identification of the benami properties. The officials also discussed the utilisation of funds for uplift projects, price-control mechanism and timely resolution of complaints forwarded by the Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission and the Pakistan Citizen Portal.
The CS said that the provision of relief to the common man was the top priority of the provincial government. He issued instructions for ensuring the availability of daily-use commodities at fixed prices. He directed the officials concerned to continue with their operations against profiteers and hoarders, and to make magistrates more active in this matter.
On the issue of complaints by overseas Pakistanis, Khokar said that overseas Pakistanis were an asset for the economy of the country. He added that authorities concerned should resolve issues faced by these individuals on a priority basis. He also directed the DCs to attend meetings pertaining to overseas Pakistanis’ committees established in their districts, and to ensure early disposal of pending complaints.
The meeting also discussed the issue of smog in the province. The CS issued instructions with regard to the implementation of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to control and prevent smog. He also stressed upon the timely completion of ongoing development projects in Punjab.
