CM says he will fight on every front to see Metro Train project through

Reiterates that China is providing 100 per cent funding for the project

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the Orange Line Metro Train is a historic project for provision of safe, respectable and economical transport facilities to the common man.

Addressing a special seminar in connection with Lahore Orange Line Metro Train project at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, on Thursday, the chief minister said that only a handful of elements are criticising this splendid project, which could bring an improvement in the living standard of the poor and provide a much-needed basic facility to the masses.

But, he said, the interest of the people will be safeguarded at any cost. Shehbaz Sharif said that he can sacrifice his life but not allow anyone to hamper this public welfare project. He said that he will fight the persons opposing this project on every front and the Orange Line Metro Train project will be executed at any cost in the interest of the masses. He said that it is war between progress and backwardness, prosperity and poverty, truth and falsehood, justice against injustice and he will stand by the poor masses like a rock.

He said that the Orange Line Metro train is not the personal property of anyone. It is a project of the common people. Shehbaz Sharif said that if this project is hindered the poor people will have to continue to travel in decrepit and overcrowded buses which he will not tolerate as service to the people and provision of best facilities to the masses is the mission of his life. The chief minister said that he is serving the people with honesty, commitment and sincerity and this process will continue. He said that the culture of merit and transparency has been promoted in the province and he is ready to face any punishment if corruption of even a single penny is proved against him even after his death.

Provincial Ministers Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman, MNA Pervaiz Malik, Kh. Ahmed Hasaan, Chairman Punjab Mass Transit Authority Sibtain Fazal-e-Haleem, Director General LDA Ahad Khan Cheema, members of National and Provincial Assemblies, lawyers, teachers, students, doctors, intellectuals, columnists and a large number of people belonging to different walks of life were present on the occasion.

The chief minister said that whether it is a project in education, health, water supply, public transport, infrastructure or any other sector of social development, the Punjab government led by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is making all out efforts with honesty and dedication for its completion. He said that billions of rupees are being spent on the provision of amenities to the masses. He said that if corruption of even a single penny is proved against him in the execution of the development projects, he is ready to face accountability.

He said that China is going to provide funds of Rs 150 billion for this project and the first installment is to be repaid after seven years. Shehbaz Sharif said that it is 100 per cent Chinese funding. He said that no country has given loan on such soft terms. He said the Punjab government has made payment of compensation to the landowners from its own resources.

The chief minister said that Orange Line Metro Train project is not for the elite who travel by Pajero, Mercedes or other luxury vehicles but for the common man. Therefore, he said, a handful of elites are opposing this project and trying to widen the gulf between the rich and the poor as these people do not want the common man to travel with dignity and comfort. He said that the president, prime minister, governors, chief ministers, ministers, judges and elites are not going to travel by Orange Line Metro Train but this project is for those great Pakistanis who leave their homes in the morning to find their livelihood. He said those opposing Orange Line Metro Train do not want that modern transport facilities should become available to the poor and they continue to travel by dilapidated buses.

The chief minister said that the Orange Line Metro Train will operate on 27-km long route from Raiwind to Dera Gujran and cover this distance in 45 minutes which normally takes two hours. He said that it will not only save time and fuel but also national resources. He said that 250,000 people will travel by Orange Line Metro Train daily while this number will soon increase to 500,000.

The chief minister further said that the Orange Line Metro Train is a great gift of the Chinese government to the people of Pakistan. He said that those who live in palaces and ridicule poor people have termed this gift a loan. He said that the Chinese government is not only providing all the funding for the project, it has also given civil works of this project to Pakistani companies.

Shehbaz Sharif said that if the child of a rich person falls ill he can reach hospital immediately in a car but if child of a poor person needs treatment he has to travel by buses which can endanger his life. He said that it is a great injustice. He said that it is not the Quaid’s Pakistan. He said that Pakistan is to be transformed in accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam and the Orange Line Metro Train is an important step in this direction.