Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has stated that the provincial budget will be tax-free, with no new taxes imposed on the public, and that local government elections will be held soon.
Speaking to Dunya News, the provincial minister said that the chief minister of Punjab has rejected all proposed taxes, and that salaries and pensions for government employees have been increased.
She further stated that preparations for local government elections in Punjab are complete and that elections will be conducted soon.
She criticised the previous government for abolishing local elections, adding that whenever such elections have been held in Punjab, they were conducted by the PML-N.
Azma Bokhari said that in the past, development used to be different for the rich and the poor. Now, road and infrastructure work will be carried out in 64 cities across Punjab.
The Punjab government plans to build model villages and develop streets and roads in multiple cities. “Around 1,800 villages in Punjab will be developed to a standard where they are no less than cities,” she said.
She noted that the chief minister holds two weekly meetings solely focused on monitoring food prices, and even during Eid-ul-Azha, price hikes were not allowed.
The minister added that there is no mechanism in any provincial government in Pakistan to control prices of essential items. However, the Punjab government has established an entire department dedicated to price control, and the chief minister maintains a zero-tolerance policy on rising food prices.
