Important decisions have been approved in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order held under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Environment Protection and Cooperatives Muhammad Basharat Raja, here today. Provincial Transport Minister Munib Sultan Cheema and concerned officials also attended the meeting. Cabinet Committee approved arrangements and security plan for the 553rd birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak Ji, the founder of Sikhism. The meeting was informed that three thousand yatris from India and 10 to 15 thousand local Sikh and Hindu pilgrims will participate in the birthday celebrations. Central ceremony of birth anniversary will be held on November 8 at Gurudwara Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib. The arrival of pilgrims will start from November 6 and they will also pay visits to Farooqabad, Lahore, Aimanabad, Hasan Abdal and Kartarpur Sahib to perform religious rituals. Chairman Committee Muhammad Basharat Raja vowed that the government will ensure the provision of all necessary facilities to the Sikh pilgrims in Punjab at every holy site.
The Cabinet Committee directed the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) to include additional grant request for purchase of new equipment in the annual supplementary budget while considered the provision of additional funds to police for operations against criminal gangs in Katcha areas. Provincial Minister Raja Basharat said that 1,675 policemen have been deployed from two districts of Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur in Katcha area. Punjab Police requested the Cabinet Committee to approve the amount against expenses in recent by-elections, however the committee observed that only emergency expenses can be presented for approval in this forum. “Punjab police should approach Punjab government for by-elections’s expenditure amount”, directed the chair. The meeting was told that 100 applications for release on parole came for approval in the Parole Board of the Home Department, out of which 34 applications have been approved. Chairman Committee Muhammad Basharat Raja said that it is not appropriate for the Parole Board to reject 46 applications out of 100. “By releasing prisoners on parole, the burden on prisons could be reduced”, remarked Mr. Raja. Cabinet Committee decided to reconstitute the Provincial Parole Board and give representation to Police, Special Branch and CTD. Raja Basharat said that meritorious prisoners have the right to be released on parole under the law.
