The Political Counsellor of British High Commission Islamabad, Ms Iona Thomas called on Minister for Law and Cooperatives Punjab Raja Basharat in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday. They discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest between the UK and the Punjab Government. Raja Basharat said on the occasion that the Punjab government was taking historic steps for the protection and development of minorities as significant increases had been made in the recent budget for churches and other minority worship places of worship in Punjab. He said that Punjab government was ensuring implementation of all the points of FATF and had successfully handled high profile cases of terrorism by implementing federal policies against extremism and sectarianism to the maximum. Raja Basharat further said that the Punjab Assembly under the leadership of Chief Minister Usman Bazdar had enacted record legislation while centuries old laws were being updated as per the existing requirements. He said that the orders of the Supreme Court regarding local government would be followed. The Law Minister said that successful measures had been taken against Corona pandemic in Punjab and the process of vaccination was also going on successfully. Ms Iona Thomas praised Pakistan's efforts for FATF and said that the UK had pledged it's full support to Pakistan in this regard. She paid homage to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and said that he always emphasized on the rights of minorities. Referring to the Hunza Valley, Ms Thomas said that Pakistan was rich in natural beauty and resources. She assured that the UK would continue to co-operate with Punjab against disease, illiteracy, terrorism, poverty alleviation and Covid-19 as per usual.
