–23-km-long Lai Expressway project to be initiated at cost of Rs70bn, will be completed through public-private partnership
RAWALPINDI: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will transform Pakistan, materialising everyone’s dreams of a better future.
“We will transform Pakistan according to the vision of Quaid-e-Azam. The dreams of Imran Khan and all of us will be materialised,” he said.
He was speaking during a ceremony in which he laid the foundation stone of the Government Postgraduate College for Women, Railway Station Road reconstruction project here on Friday.
Federal Ministers Sheikh Rasheed and Amir Mehmood Kiyani, Provincial Ministers Raja Basharat, Samiullah Chaudhary, Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmad, Raja Rashid Hafeez and Raja Yasir Humayun, as well as Assembly Members including Chaudhry Adnan, Ammar Siddique and others, attended the ceremony.
The chief minister announced different projects for Rawalpindi to the tune of billions of rupees including up-gradation of Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology to the status of a cardiac and vascular diseases centre.
“The work on kidney hospital will be resumed as well. Like DG Khan, Rawalpindi is my own city and there would no differentiation between the two cities. It was difficult to set up another women university in Rawalpindi as Fatima Jinnah University is already functioning here. But, I announce the setting up of another women university in Rawalpindi and it would be the unique city where two women universities will exist. Although this task was difficult, Sheikh Rasheed took charge of it as its lawyer and we all know that he never loses a case,” he said.
He said that problems had come up due to Nullah Lai in Rawalpindi during the rainy season and traffic problems along with drainage of water also arise. “I am of the opinion that Lai Expressway project is of utmost importance in this regard. We will initiate this 23-km long Lai Expressway project at a cost of Rs70 billion and it will be completed through the public-private partnership,” he said regarding the matter.
The chief minister also announced that the Rawalpindi Ring Road Project will be started soon.
“This project, which will be completed with an amount of Rs50 million, will transform the future of the city. I also visited Rawalpindi a few days ago and reviewed the public problems while moving on the road. Due to the steps taken by the PTI government, the difference will be eliminated between Rawalpindi and Islamabad and citizens of the twin cities will enjoy the same facilities,” he promised.
Talking about the new local bodies system, the chief minister said that powers will be devolved at the grassroots under this system in the real sense.
“The draft act of new local bodies system has been prepared which will be got approved from the assembly during its next session,” he said.
Further, Buzdar said that 22,000 village councils will be constituted in rural areas to solve public problems and funds of more than 40 billion rupees will be spent on public welfare through these councils.
“Similarly, 182 municipal committees will be formulated in cities. In this system, people will be fully empowered,” he added.
“We are moving towards new Pakistan envisioned by Prime Minister Imran Khan. We speak less and perform more,” he concluded.
