Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Haman Resource Development Zulfikar Bukhari Saturday said the incumbent government was striving hard to install gas connections at Dhok Lohara (Jand) and its allied areas to fulfill the promise made by Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf (PTI) during the last general election. “I assure the people of Dhok Lohara that they will have gas connections by the end of this year,” Zulfikar Bukhari pledged this while announcing more development schemes such as facility of a hospital and a technical and vocational college for the area. The SAPM said the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) would start installing gas meters in the village by July this year. Before the government of PTI, he said, the area was deprived of the basic facilities like clean drinking water, health and education.However, the political leadership of area took cognizance of the dwellers’ basic issues and initiated development work to uplift the living standards of people, he added. Zulfikar Bukhari urged the people to strictly follow the SOPs (standard operating procedures) to ensure safety of their lives amid the global pandemic. He said the government had been making all-out efforts to curb the coronavirus spread. “The month of July will be the most crucial in view of coronavirus so we all have to take extra precautionary measures to combat the virus.” SNGPL Managing Director Amir Tufail said the areas, fell within 5 kilometer radius of the sui gas fields, would be provided gas at top priority under the approved policy. Earlier, the special assistant reviewed progress on re-carpeting of Jand to Khunda road. The construction of 38 km stretch was promised by the SAPM with residents of Jand last year. The officials of National Highway Authority apprised Zulfikar Bukhari about the ongoing upgradation of road. “There will be no compromise on quality of work,” the SAPM warned.