ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP):The Ministry of Defence has completed more than 2000 kilometers porous Western Border Fencing (WBF), rigorous structural reorganization and upgradation of health and education institutes in the cantonment areas during last two years.
The Fencing was carried out to curtail cross border movement of terrorist elements and to enhance national security for peace and stability of Pakistan.
Under Pak – Afghan Border around 1496 Km, out of 2354 Km has been completed whereas on Pak – Iran Border around 89 Km out of 909 Km has been completed, said the two years performance report of the government from 2018-20.
The fight against terrorism was in final consolidation phase, however, porous border remained a main cause of cross border infiltration/terrorist threat in the country.
Re-Organization/re-structuring of certain departments was urgently required to enhance work efficiency and better management of resources.
In this regard Survey of Pakistan needed re-organization on account of advancement in technology.
Healthcare and educational facilities were required to be upgraded in Cantt Areas to cope up with the ever-increasing demand and according to latest standards.
The initiatives made on upgradation of health facilities ML&C Department started a process of revamping and upgradation of existing health care facilities.
Three Cantonment General Hospitals (CGHs) including CGHs Rawalpindi, Lahore and Peshawar have been upgraded to 500 Bedded Hospitals. Cantt Garrison Hospital Rawalpindi was recently inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The development work on three new hospitals was also near completion which included CGH Nowshera (50 beds), CGH Clifton (20 Beds) and CGH Sialkot (20 beds). Nine new dispensaries have also been established in Cantonment Boards – three in Chaklala, and one each in Abbottabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Wah and Walton.
Since 2018 onwards CBCARE (Cantt Board Citizen Assistance and Rapid Execution) Centers have been established in fifteen (15) Cantonments to facilitate Cantt area citizens with improved service delivery.
Digital apps have also been launched for provision of services and registration of complaints (Android App in December 2018 & IOS App in March 2019). Facilitation Centers for general public have been started with the following services of one Window Facilitation Centers,
Q-Matic System, Public Waiting Areas, Information Guidance through Notice Boards/LEDs and Separate Desks for Registration of life events, Approval of Building Plans/Lands, Transfer of Property (TIP)/Property Tax Bills, NOCs have been established in all major Cantonments.
During the past two years various Cantt Public Education Institutes (CPEIS) were established and upgraded as to impart quality education in the Cantt Areas and to meet the ever-increasing demand of education, the following educational institutions have been established and upgraded since 2019.
The Faculty strength stands at 1374 from 1237 (in 2018) and Student strength is presently 23145 from 16905 (in 2018). The CPEIS included Cantt Public Girls High School Pannu Aqil, Cantt Public Montessori School Clifton, Cantt Public Montessori School Nowshera, Cantt Public School and College Quetta upgraded to Degree Level, Cantt Public School and Degree College Malir upgraded to Post Graduate Level, Cantt Public Inter College Faisal upgraded to Degree Level and Cantt Public School and College Kamra upgraded to Degree Level.
The Ministry also ensured publishing of atlas of Pakistan after a lapse of six
years where a new Atlas containing notable information for planners, experts, researchers, students, cartographers and geographers and for promotion of tourism was published on May 13, 2018 with the following key features of Topography of Pakistan initiatives, Physical and political environment of Pakistan, Regional maps of country, Guide maps of important cities of Pakistan, Contains details about emerging CPEC projects and World thematic and continental maps.
Re-organization of Survey of Pakistan (SOP) has been carried out to cater for advancement in technology and to enhance efficiency.
Re-organization process of the department was in progress which would be completed in two phases. In phase-1, 396 posts were being abolished and 196 posts were being re-created/ re-designated. In Phase-2, total strength was likely to be reduced from 4500 to maximum 3000. There would be no additional burden on the Government Exchequer in implementation of re-structuring as surplus staff would be reduced gradually as per Government Policy.
The re-structuring and re-organization of federal government institutions (FGEIS) was also launched that had grown since 1977 from 148 institutions to 355 institutions with 311 schools and 44 colleges and restructuring of the Directorate and Regional Offices has been carried out under the project.
Proposal for creation of Research and Development (R&D) Cell for policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation and creation of Legal Cell for speedy disposal of increased litigation was underway.
Moreover, recruitment, posting and promotion policies were being revised to enhance efficiency, ensure transparency and efficient management.
Keeping in view, the country’s vulnerability to heat waves and deforestation of an afforestation drive under the Sarsabz-o-Shadab Pakistan and Green Pakistan initiative of the Defence Forces, Tri services along with executive departments of the Ministry have planted 22 Million saplings in Spring and Monsoon season.
Moreover, two key legislatives were also being formulated and tabled on the legislatives forums including joint Maritime Information Organization (JMIO) Bill and Pakistan Maritime Zone Bill- 2019.
The JMIO Bill has been forwarded to National Assembly (NA) for approval, in order to enable stakeholders to exchange maritime security information freely whereas the Pakistan Maritime Zone Bill- 2019 was forwarded to CCLC to give effect to the provisions of United Nation Convention on Laws of Sea (UNCLOS) and other Maritime Laws, which had occurred in Maritime domain. This bill would repeal the existing Territorial Sea Maritime Zone (TSMZ) Act 1976.
