Announcing a special development package worth Rs 25 billion for Lodhran district, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that although presidents, prime ministers and governors had been appointed from south Punjab, they had not thought of helping the people of south Punjab.
The chief minister said that nobody had ever thought that mega projects should be carried out in south Punjab but the federal and provincial governments had carried out a series of development projects in the region.
He said that the Multan Metro Bus Project had been completed at a cost of Rs 28 billion due to which the people of South Punjab were able to use modern travelling facilities and labourers, farmers, widows, orphans, students, teachers, lawyers, and clerks now travel using these modern facilities.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed these views while addressing a large public gathering after laying the foundation stone of the 98 km long Lodhran to Khanewal two-way road and flyover over Pirwala Road Railway crossing.
He also announced the provision of 20 air-conditioned buses for Lodhran. He said that a program for potable water would also be started soon in 37 tehsils in South Punjab and billions of rupees will be spent on this project, adding that a sub-campus of the agriculture university will be established in Lodhran and a flyover on Lodhran-Jalalpur railway crossing will be completed at a cost of Rs 1.1 billion.
The chief minister said that a 30 km long Lodhran-Karorpaka dual way road will also be constructed at a cost of Rs 600 million. Shehbaz Sharif also announced the construction of an 18 km long road from Dunyapur to Melsi. He said that he would try to ensure completion of the road from Khanewal to Lodhran in 10 months instead of 12 months, adding that the 98 km long Lodhran-Khanewal Road at a cost of Rs 22 million will be presented for use by the people of South Punjab in ten months.
The chief minister said he was thankful to the people of Lodhran who had arrived at the public gathering in large numbers and that he hoped that the people of Lodhran would help eliminate political parties that are opponents of development.
He said that in 2013 Nawaz Sharif had promised to end load-shedding and this promise was nearing materialisation. People still remember when they were losing jobs due to the shortage of electricity, industry and agriculture were at the verge of destruction, and economic activities had almost halted, he said.
Shehbaz Sharif said that the Punjab government would protect the rights of farmers in the wheat purchase process and we will buy as much wheat as the farmers want to sell. He said that Lodhran is a small district, therefore the metro bus service cannot be launched there so 20 air-conditioned buses would be provided to the district.
