Daily Times

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired the forth meeting of Public-Private Partnership Policy and Monitoring Board in which matters about projects started under public-private partnership mode were reviewed. The meeting approved starting Rawalpindi Ring Road Project under public-private partnership mode with a cost of Rs50 billion. The meeting also gave in-principle approval to appoint a transaction adviser for ten other projects and endorsed the decisions made in the 3rd meeting. Secretary Board and member PPP cell Dr Farrukh Naveed briefed about PPP mode projects.

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister stated that every promise made with the residents of Rawalpindi will be fulfilled and hoped the ring road will solve the traffic problems besides boosting economic activities. He directed that there should be no delay in the timeline and necessary matters should be expedited adding that the government will provide full support in this regard. The CM also directed to minimize the processing time adding that PPP mode projects should be on-ground without any delay. A suitable mechanism should be devised to early start the PPP mode projects while giving due attention to the legal aspects. He disclosed that the Punjab government will start construction work of Sheikhupura-Gujranwala road in the next few days. Public-private partnership mode should be encouraged for the construction of hospitals in future and a comprehensive business model be devised for the said purpose, he said and further stated that PTI government believes in best service delivery in the health sector.

Provincial ministers Hashim Jawan Bakht, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, Advisor to CM Dr Salman Shah, Mian Shafi Muhammad MPA, chief secretary, chairman P&D, SMBR and secretaries attended the meeting while commissioner Rawalpindi and DG RDA participated through video link.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari and Punjab assembly members including Shahab-ud-Din Khan, Ghazanfer Abbas, Ch. Faisal Farooq Cheema, Ghulam Ali Asghar Khan, Ch. Iftikhar Hussain, Muhammad Amir Anayat Shahani, Muhammad Ijaz Hussain and Sardar Farooq Aman Ullah Dareshk called on Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and congratulated him over the completion of two years. They also apprised him about the problems of their constituencies.

Talking on this occasion, the CM stated the PTI government has promoted financial transparency and merit and also rectified the disorder and disarray of the past governments. He regretted the past government mercilessly wasted state money and asserted the incumbent government is the custodian of the national exchequer which is spending resources on public welfare with utmost honesty and diligence. The opposition parties tried jangling discord on Karachi issue after the onslaught of coronavirus, he added.

The role of the opposition is very pivotal in democratic countries but Pakistani opposition has no agenda or any program, he continued and further stated that opposing politicians are busy in point-scoring only. These elements had faced defeat in the past and will also be unsuccessful in future, he said. The politics of propaganda is the tool of the opposition, he added. The government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan is the most transparent government in the history of the country. The parliamentarians are my companions and their problems will be solved on a priority basis. We all will serve the masses as a team, he further added.

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar stated the nation salutes the brave sons who sacrificed their lives for the defence of the country. The memories of martyrs of 1965 war are still alive in the hearts of the people and the whole nation is paying tributes to all those martyrs today who had rendered invaluable sacrifices for the defence of the country.

In his message, the CM stated that martyrs are the pride of the nation adding that the war of September 1965 is a bright chapter of defence history of the country. The armed forces of Pakistan gave a befitting reply to the enemy’s aggression and wrote immortal stories of bravery, courage and valour while defending the motherland.