ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday directed the authorities concerned that the ongoing work on new Islamabad International Airport should be expedited so as to ensure its inauguration by the mid of April. The prime minister was chairing a briefing on various ongoing connectivity and road infrastructure projects at the Prime Minister’s Office. Progress on completion and operationalization of new Islamabad International Airport was reviewed during the meeting, the PM Office media wing said in a press release. The aviation secretary briefed the prime minister about the progress on completion of the new Islamabad International Airport. It was informed that physical work on infrastructure and airport-related allied facilities had been completed, while the integration process was underway. Minister for Interior and Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Communications Hafiz Abdul Karim, Minister of State for Communications Junaid Anwaar Chaudhry, federal secretaries concerned, National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman and senior officers attended the meeting. Chairman NHA Jawad Anwaar while briefing the meeting on the progress in construction of Airport Metro Bus Project informed that infrastructure would be completed by May 15. He also briefed about the progress of various landmark road projects spread across the country, which either had been completed or were ready for ground-breaking within next few weeks. The projects ready for inauguration/ground-breaking include: construction of Rawalpindi-Kahuta road, DG Khan Northern Bypass, Karachi-Hyderabad (M-9), Syed Wala Bridge, Jalal Pur Pirwala-Uch Sharif road, LSM Link via Narang Mandi to Narowal, Sialkot-Pasrur Road, Chitral-Gram Chashma Road, Kallar-Sir Suba Shah-Dhan Gali Road, Lahore-Abdul Hakeem (M-3), Lahore Eastern Bypass (LEBP), Sher Shah Suri Road from Begum Kot to Sheikhupura-Muridke Road, overhead bridge at Imamia Colony railway crossing, Nishtar Ghat Bridge (Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Bridge), Khuzdar-Shahdadkot (M-8), Shah Maqsood Interchange-Muslim Abad Interchange (Hazara Motorway) and two interchanges near Mansehra on Havelian-Thakot CPEC project, which would be inaugurated during the month of May. Expressing satisfaction over addition of extensive network of motorways, expressways and national highways to the existing road infrastructure, the prime minister observed that addition of new road network would have huge impact on transforming the lives of the people by offering better connectivity and greater economic opportunities. The NHA chairman requested the prime minister to spare some time to personally inaugurate or perform ground-breaking ceremonies of these important projects. The meeting was also briefed on various road infrastructure projects being built in Balochistan. The prime minister also approved construction of 110-km long Khuzdar-Basima (N-30) road project through PSDP. The chairman NHA informed that since 2013, at least 28 major connectivity projects involving road infrastructure of 2,520 km had been completed at a cost of Rs 235.69 billion. The prime minister appreciated the NHA and its team for the progress made so far and said that efforts must continue to ensure early completion of the ongoing projects. ICCI: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) President Sheikh Amir Waheed has said that many countries were generating billions of dollars out of business activities by promoting sports events and stressed that government should focus on sports to give boost to business activities in the country. He was addressing a luncheon reception hosted by the ICCI in honor of futsal teams of Pakistan, Brazil, Turkey and Nepal that participated in the first International Futsal Cup, 2018, held recently in Islamabad. Sheikh Amir said that sports activities enable trade and industry to flourish in addition to creating employment and reducing poverty. Published in Daily Times, February 21st 2018.