The meeting held under the chairmanship of caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi at his office decided in principle on Thursday to hand over the management of historic and cultural landmarks of the province to the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA).
Recognising the mesmerizing allure and profound historical significance of Punjab’s cultural heritage, the chief minister emphasised the imperative of restoring these architectural gems to their original magnificence. He ordered to expeditiously remove encroachments surrounding historical buildings in Lahore, Gujranwala, and other cities.
The meeting unanimously resolved to clean up the vicinity of historical buildings and undertake cultural embellishments in the surrounding areas. The CM entrusted the task of restoring historical structures to their pristine glory to the WCLA.
The WCLA director-general gave a briefing on the ongoing restoration efforts pertaining to historical buildings and mansions. Notably, deliberations ensued regarding the refurbishment of specific landmarks, including the Samadhi in Shehranwala Garden, the iconic Ram Pyari Mahal in Gujrat, and the historic mansion in Gujranwala.
Provincial Minister for Information & Culture Amir Mir, secretary C&W, secretary information, and others attended the meeting. The chief secretary, commissioner Gujranwala, deputy commissioners of Gujrat and Gujranwala, and chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board participated via video-link.
In another meeting chaired by caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi chaired a meeting at his office on Thursday to review progress made so far on the legal proceedings against the culprits involved in the May 9 events.
The meeting decided that trial of the May-9 accused would take place in jail. Daily hearing of cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act would take place, and the relevant departments would be duly informed about the trial proceedings in jail. Consensus was reached in the meeting to expedite legal actions against the culprits involved in the events of May 9.
The CM instructed the police and prosecution department to present strong evidence against the accused and emphasised that no leniency should be shown to any culprit involved in the events of May 9, while innocent individuals should not be subjected to punishment. The CM also ordered to intensify efforts to apprehend the absconding culprits.
The participants were briefed that during investigation, 200 individuals were acquitted after being proven innocent, and strong testimonies were being presented against the culprits. The chief secretary, IG police, CCPO Lahore, secretary prosecution, commissioner Lahore, and others attended the meeting.
Naqvi ordered removal of encroachments surrounding drains, with a strong emphasis on facilitating unhindered traffic flow by eliminating obstacles and addressing drainage concerns in ongoing development projects.
He stressed the disruptive impact of encroachments on traffic, leading to hardships for the general public. It was further emphasised that the process of encroachment removal should be carried out systematically and without any delay.
The meeting held at the CM Office was attended by the chief secretary, commissioner and deputy commissioner Lahore, Chief Engineer LDA and others.
