Sikh yatrees delegation call on Salmaan Taseer

April 19, 2010…

A 15 member delegation of the Sikh yatrees called on the Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer at the Governor House here Monday.

The delegation was headed by Sardar Swinder Singh Sarwani Gurdwara Parbandhac Committee Amritsar. Speaking on the occasion the Sardar Swinder Singh thanked the Pakistan government for the provision of facilities and fool-proof security to the Sikh yatrees during their visit to Pakistan. He demanded of the government of Pakistan to set up a visa section in Amritsar in order to ease the difficulties faced by the Sikh yatrees in the issuance of visa. 

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said that the PPP government is utilizing all resources for the protection and restoration of all religious places of the Sikhs.

The Punjab Governor assured the Sikh yatrees that he would approach the Federal government for the setting up of a visa section for the Sikh Yatrees to resolve their long-standing demand. He said that PPP has PPP has always safeguarded the rigts of the Sikhs as well as the minorities in the country. Terming the passage of the 18^th amendment a great success of democracy and the PPP, he said that President Asif Ali Zardari proved himself a true follower of the political philosophy of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto when he managed to restore the 1973 constitution to its original form. He said that the founder of the PPP Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had given the nation a unanimous constitution which was mutilated by the dictators in the past.

Sikh yatrees delegation call on Salmaan Taseer

Mrs. Aamna Taseer wife of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer give away a shield to a Girl Guide on the occasion of Annual Council Meeting of Pakistan Girl Guide Association Punjab, Lahore.

April 17, 2010…

Mrs. Aamna Taseer wife of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer give away a shield to a Girl Guide on the occasion of Annual Council Meeting of Pakistan Girl Guide Association Punjab, Lahore. Former Prsident Girl Guide Association Begum Robina Khalid Maqbool is also present.

Mrs. Aamna Taseer wife of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer give away a shield to a Girl Guide on the occasion of Annual Council Meeting of Pakistan Girl Guide Association Punjab, Lahore.

SALMAAN TASEER: TERRORISM IS A NIGHTMARE FOR THOSE COMMITTED TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF PAKISTAN

April 17, 2010…

Governor Salmaan Taseer says politics, business and national security are closely inter-linked and one can’t be dealt with in the absence of the others.

The Governor of the Punjab Salmaan Taseer met with a 24-member delegation of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) at the Governor House, Lahore to discuss political, economic and regional views on business enterprises in Pakistan. The delegation was headed by Mr. Khuram Gulzar, Vice President of the Pakistan Chapter of  the EO.

The Governor stated that great strides had been taken in fighting terrorism when for the first time in Pakistani history, the armed forces and political forces of the country were unified in fighting the menace. He said that terrorism had been a “nightmare situation” for people like entrepreneurs who were dedicated to the economic and social prosperity of Pakistan.

Effective means of alleviating the ongoing power crisis which is crippling industries nationwide was also discussed. The Governor stressed that it was “inconceivable” for a country like Pakistan to not invest in dam building and maintenance. He said that Kalabagh dam had been rife with “political pressure and weakness” even though it was essential for the country. In addition, he stated that the issue of rental power needed to be contextualized and not sensationalized, and essentially boiled down to a question of no power versus some power.

The Governor commended the current government for their pro-active role in pursuing market access for Pakistani textiles in the US and Europe. He forecasted a positive state of economic affairs, with the Kerry-Lugar (Berman) funds reaching Pakistan next month and the IMF loan tranche following in the next three to four months. He said that the international ratings would improve, leading to more foreign investment in country. 

SALMAAN TASEER: TERRORISM IS A NIGHTMARE FOR THOSE COMMITTED TO THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF PAKISTAN

GOVERNOR SALMAAN TASEER: THE NEXT GOVERNMENT WILL REAP THE BENEFITS OF THIS GOVERNMENT’S POWER PLANNING

A Bangladeshi media delegation called on Governor of the Punjab Salmaan Taseer at the Governor House on Thursday. They discussed the similarities in the politics of the two countries, ways to alleviate the current power crisis in Pakistan and Bangladesh’s exemplary position as a completely democratic nation.

Drawing an analogy between the assassinations of Benazir Bhutto and Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, the Governor highlighted the fact that the PPP too had had to rebuild itself from the grassroots level as the only federal party of the country. Acknowledging the similarities in the governance of the two nations, the Bangladeshi delegation sought advice on how to prevent a power crisis in the future of its country.

The Governor stated that for a country like Pakistan in which 75% of its water flowed during only 3 months of the year, the building and maintenance of dams was essential for the long-term power planning of nation.  He added that the present government was dealing with the repercussions of poor-planning by previous regimes. Furthermore, he said that even though the current government was taking all the necessary steps and implementing long-term strategies, it would be the next government that would benefit from their success. 

The Governor commended the delegation on Bangladesh’s position as a strong, democratic nation and said that Pakistan was headed in the right direction with the approval of the 18^th Amendment by the Senate. He commented, “History is being made as we sit here”. He said that people has complete right to assemble, complete media freedom and more provincial autonomy due to the 18^th Amendment and latest NFC Award.

GOVERNOR SALMAAN TASEER: THE NEXT GOVERNMENT WILL REAP THE BENEFITS OF THIS GOVERNMENT’S POWER PLANNING

USAID DELEGATION MEETS GOVERNOR SALMAAN TASEER TO MAXIMISE AID EFFORTS

April 13, 2010…

USAID delegation headed by Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah and Chief of Staff USAID Islamabad Sean C. Carroll met with the Governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer at the Governor House this afternoon for his advice on maximising US funding efforts within Pakistan.

The meeting began with the Governor commenting that a large proportion of the funding to Pakistan ends up in the pockets of consultants and contractors in the US. Dr. Shah agreed, saying it was a “valid criticism” and estimated that around 50% finds its way back to the US. Only around 20% of resources are directly given to Pakistan as specific steps are required for a “visible procurement and accountability mechanisms to report back to the US Senate”. The Administrator added that is often takes 6 months to a year to effectively use US funds allocated to Pakistan and that taking risks is getting harder.

Governor Salmaan Taseer suggested that the US should invest in universities, as many of the students, especially female ones, come from outside of the Punjab and do not have a place to stay. In addition, the positive message the US wishes to send across to Pakistan could be fostered in the future leaders of the country. The Governor was also of the opinion that the US should not restrict funding to the public sector but also invest in the large number of high quality private universities, from which they would get a dynamic response.

Investment in the agricultural sector was also discussed. US funding in the form of seed technology has shown success in countries like India where saline soils have allowed for a revolution of the domestic situation. The Governor was of the opinion that this was particularly relevant to the Pakistani situation as “our farmers are smart and learn really fast- even though they don’t go to universities”. Furthermore, there are well established agriculture universities at which this know-how can be propagated.

The USAID delegation particularly mentioned that they “care about a broad partnership” with Pakistan and that they need to make the dialogue between the countries about more than just security issues. The Governor responded by saying, “for the first time I see a real change (in US attitude towards Pakistan) and that’s where it starts”. Furthermore, the Kerry Lugar (Berman) Bill will allow a significant increase in funding to Pakistan and will allow the US to “really use those resources to change the long-term narrative”.

While the Governor acknowledged renewed US efforts for deepening engagement between the two nations through strategic dialogue he said, “It frustrates us when our people are subjected to specific security checks and creates a very bad impression”. The delegation agreed and responded by saying, “We all feel a sense of urgency. We are committed to change”. The Governor laughed and said, “Whatever you do, do it fast!”

Greater market access for Pakistani goods in the US was also discussed, with the Governor saying, “it would change our whole economic outlook”. The US said it was looking into trade-investment policies and wanted to work more closely with Pakistan in this sphere.

The USAID delegation was appreciative of the time the Governor took out to share his thoughts and expressed that it was very consistent with Obama’s global incentive policy. 

USAID DELEGATION MEETS GOVERNOR SALMAAN TASEER TO MAXIMISE AID EFFORTS

GOVERNOR SALMAAN TASEER: POLICE MUST BE IT’S OWN MORAL AUTHORITY.

April 12, 2010…

Governor Punjab meets a delegation of ASPs, condemns sensationalist media and overactive lawyers movement.

A 40-member delegation of the Country Study Tour Programme of Additional Superintendent Police (under training) under DIG Mahmood Alam Mahsud met with the Governor of the Punjab Salmaan Taseer at the Governor House, Lahore to discuss the ongoing law and order situation in the Punjab on Monday, April 12, 2010.

Governor Salmaan Taseer expressed that he was “most impressed” with the qualifications of the ASPs in the Common Training Programme (CTP), which ranged from finance to software engineering to biotechnology. The Governor stated that the maintenance of law and order is not the only issue the police has to face. There are many other pressures, and in particular paid tribute to those who died fighting terrorism and courageously taken on “these highly trained and dangerous” terrorists.

He further added that today’s police force were standard bearers, in their preventative and investigatory capacity. He encouraged the force by reiterating that the country is behind the police in fighting terrorism- even if the public has contentions in other areas.

As far as the public is concerned, the Governor said, the media is often pressured to dramatise stories and this is the reason why crime incidents are blown out of proportion. The issue at hand is often forgotten at the expense of sensationalism. This phenomenon of media activism is a new challenge the police has to face. He added that the police are required to know how to deal with the intense media glare and deal with the new “politico-media”.

The Governor said, “I’m not only a governor but a citizen of this country, and like all citizens, I have an opinion on the police force”. He said that in the past the police had been forced to brutalise protestors and be partisan, of which the Governor himself was a victim. He went on to say that it is his belief that the police is now a model of “respect and honour” and it is imperative they remain “completely impartial” in the face of immense pressures. He said that this was “the very fibre of a police officer”.

The Governor stated that the most important aspect of a police officer’s training is his ability to maintain his moral position and not bow down to any external pressure. The police must be its own moral authority and resist interference by the authorities, the media, people of the same caste, etc. He said, “Every time you refuse to buckle under pressure, it becomes easier the next time”.

A point of particular note is the homage the Governor paid to the ladies in the police force. Of the 40 member delegation, 4 were female and he said that their presence in the force had a “calming influence” and formed a good impression of the police as a whole. 

In response to question posed by a member of the delegation regarding the role of the judiciary as far as civil society and the police is concerned, the Governor said, “I believe judicial activism is out of control”. He said the issue of the lawyers has become a “pressurizing mafia”. Furthermore, he said that the lawyers have become a trade union and are looking for their own advantages. “This is a very negative development”, he added. The meeting ended on a genial note, with the Governor expressing how happy he was with the high quality of police officers and the DIG deeply appreciative of the Governor’s time. 

A 40-member delegation of (under training) ASP's from Common Training Programme posing for photograph with Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer at the Governor House, Lahore.

Zardari sets new history as a true democrat: Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer.

April 9, 2010…

 

Governor Punjab Salman Taseer has said that President Asif Ali Zardari has added a new chapter in the history of Pakistan by surrendering his powers and has proved himself as a true democrat. He was talking to media persons at the opening ceremony of `Solitaire of UAE’a diamond Jewellery outlet at MM Alam road here on Friday. The Governor said ” Asif Zardari has changed the history and got his name registered as an open minded person and a true democrat who himself surrendered his powers as President of Pakistan”.

To a query regarding Sharif brothers he said that they should be asked the reason for not attending the joint session of the parliament. “What I feel is that they might be happy on restoration of 1973 constitution”, he said. Salman Taseer said that PPP had given the constitution of 1973 and the party has got the honour of restoring it after 37 years which proves credentials of the party as the true federal and democratic party in the country.
He said that support of PPP for him is his real authority as he is not aspirant to get powers to appoint or remove certain office-bearers. “President Zardari’s real authority is his office as a Co-chairperson of PPP and I have already said that he will continue serving the country for two terms as a President till 2018″, he said responding to a question. To another question, he said that former MNA Nazir Jutt had joined PPP and he would contest by-elections on PPP’s ticket.

To another query, he said that Ravi National park would not be allowed to built as per its existing plan as it would dislocate several people, adding, a substitute land can be
used for the park.