Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar called on Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at the Assembly Chambers on Friday and visited the under-construction hostel and mosque for Assembly members.

Briefing the Punjab chief minister in this regard, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that during “my tenure, we had allocated one month salary for construction of the mosque”.

The provincial CM assured the speaker that he will just issue the order for construction of new hostel for the Assembly members whereas the government will provide the funds required for the construction of the mosque and funds will also be allocated in the budget for Punjab Assembly building as well.

Pervaiz Elahi said that “all our projects have become victim of prejudice of former Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif. We will complete all projects put on hold Insha Allah”.

He said that had the previous government taken the interest, the new building of the Assembly would have been completed eight years ago. Those raising slogans of giving respect to vote did not honour the Assembly members also.

Elahi said in the present House, there is no adequate space for seating of the Assembly members according to their number.

“We will take action against those responsible for delay in the construction. Only 248 members can sit in the House whereas the total strength of the members is 371. We want that budget for next financial year should be presented in the new building,” he said.

The speaker directed the agencies responsible for the construction that the work should be completed without any delay. Decoration of the building should be ideal and fool proof security in it should also be kept in view.

The meeting was attended by Senior Secretary Assembly Rai Mumtaz Babar, Acting Secretary Inayatullah Lak, Special Secretary Communications & Works Mian Ibrar Ahmad, Planning & Development Board Member Dr Muhammad Abid Bodla, National College of Arts Principal Professor Dr Murtaza Jaffery, National Engineering Services Pakistan Vice President Muhammad Ibrar A Khan and also officers of other concerned departments.

Published in Daily Times, September 8^th 2018.