LAHORE, May 10 (TNS): Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) was playing an important role for providing justice to the people of Punjab and other provinces.
Professional and technical support was also being provided to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (PK) government for the establishment of a similar institution there, he said talking to newsmen after laying the foundation stone of Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority Science Enclave project here at Thokar Niaz Beg.
The enclave project will be completed in March 2019 at the cost of Rs 4 billion. The chief minister also laid the foundation stone of training laboratory of PFSA, which will be completed in November this year costing Rs1 billion.
Both the projects are being established through a law approved by the provincial assembly. The chief minister said setting up PFSA was an important step towards conducting criminal investigations on scientific basis and work was being done on both the projects speedily.
He said the use of latest technology was important for eradication of crimes, provision of justice and supply of quality medicines and food to the people. The pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had set up PFSA a few years ago and today it had emerged as the best institution of the South Asia where cases from Pakistan and abroad were referred for investigation, he added.
Replying to questions, the chief minister said during his recent visit to Sindh, various people openly said there was no good hospital and educational institution or any infrastructure in that province.
“If an opportunity is provided to us, Sindh and other provinces will also be developed like Punjab. We collectively have to make Pakistan stronger because it is beyond the capacity of any individual, institution or the party.” He said all the stakeholders, including judiciary, military and political leadership, people as well as the administration had to collectively achieve the goal of national development and prosperity because the country could never move forward without employing joint struggle.
The chief minister said independents that had joined the PML-N after the 2013 general election, had left the party and the upcoming election that who emerged victorious. Answering to a question about the notice taken by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) with regard to alleged money laundering by Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the chief minister said NAB had taken the notice over some “supposed reports”.
in which it had been stated that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had done laundering of 4.9 billion dollars. The whole nation was in a quandary as the State Bank of Pakistan and World Bank had also contradicted it, he added.
“This notice has much weakened the institutional credibility of NAB. I am sure that the NAB chairman will take notice of it that who has initiated this unsuitable step because NAB’s image has been badly damaged.” To a question about Chaudhary Nisar Ali, the chief minister said he was the senior-most leader, who enjoyed a particular position in the party.
Nisar talked about him in brevity. “He is my friend and he is respectable for me as well. It is my request that he should not be emotional.” Shehbaz said the attack on Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was a tragic incident.
“We have to review the facts of this incident deeply because societal behaviour having the tendency of fanaticism and lack of tolerance is very dangerous and there is need to control them for avoiding recurrence of such incidents in future, and all the stakeholders should jointly find the solution of it.” To another question, Shehbaz Sharif said he had already pointed out that Zardari House and Banigala were the same thing.
Imran Khan himself had confessed that he was offered Rs 400 million in the Senate election. He (Imran) talked of making one Pakistan instead of two but he should, at least, give even a single example which could prove that he had taken any step towards making one Pakistan in KP, he added.
Earlier, speaking at the foundation laying ceremony, the chief minister said the establishment of Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority Science Enclave was a revolutionary initiative where the latest science equipment would be installed.
Similarly, setting up the training laboratory was a pioneering initiative where doctors, scientists and experts would be trained on modern lines and it would emerge as a glowing example of innovation and institutional expertise, he added.
Meanwhile, a high-level meeting was also held in the committee room of Punjab Forensic Science Agency, where the chief minister was given a briefing about both the projects. Addressing the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif appreciated that an important step had been taken with regard to criminal investigations and scientific research through the two projects.
The Punjab government had provided resources on priority basis and they were also given support to the KP and Sindh provinces in that regard, he added.
