Daily Times

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Sunday inaugurated the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) at Dera Gujran depot, with an inaugural ceremony simultaneously held in Beijing also.

Chinese Consul General Long Ding Bin, Provincial Transport Minister Jahanzaib Kichchi, Managing Director Punjab Mass Transit Authority Sibtain Fazal Haleem and CR Norinko officials were also present. Another inaugural ceremony of the OLMT was also held in Beijing, which was attended by authorities of National Development Reforms Commission, CR Norinko and top Chinese officials. The ceremony was broadcast live through video link. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar unveiled the plaque. Later, the chief minister, along with Chinese consul general, formally inaugurated the OLMT by pressing a button.

Usman Buzdar, while addressing the ceremony, said on the occasion that he thanks China on behalf of the people and the government of Punjab. The ties between both countries are six decades old and have strengthened with the passage of time despite the notable changes on the world landscape, he said. Undoubtedly, Pak-China friendship is deeper than the sea, sweeter than honey and stronger than steel, he added. Buzdar said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project is the height of Pak-China friendship, adding that its success will bring a new era of development and prosperity which will further strengthen the brotherly relations between both countries. He said the OLMT has been inaugurated for providing international standard transport facilities to the citizens.

The chief minister said that the project will not only ensure stabilisation in urban development but also become a factor in enhancing the national GDP. He said that the PTI government has set a new political tradition by successfully completing the projects of the previous governments and did not let any project become a victim of political biases. He said that by rising above the political rivalry, the PTI government is also working on completion of the collapsed projects of previous governments worth Rs 1.115 trillion. Buzdar said that in order to operate the OLMT successfully, transparency has been ensured in tendering of operational and maintenance besides saving billions of rupees of public money. He said the Punjab government, despite limited resources and tough economic situation in the wake of to Covid-19 pandemic, will be giving a subsidy of billions of rupees annually to run the train.

Usman Buzdar said that on this historic occasion, he would also like to pay tribute to the Pakistan Army and other law enforcement agencies for their support and cooperation for success of CPEC. He said that a number of CPEC projects are being successfully completed due to sacrifices and day and night hard work of Pakistan Army and other law enforcement agencies. He invited China’s Pakistan-friendly government, businesses organizations and companies to come together in the journey of progress and development. He said that there are vast opportunities of investment in Punjab in transport, livestock, agriculture, housing and other sectors, adding that the PTI government will welcome friends from China.

He said that the ceremony is a milestone in Pak-China relations. He thanked the entire industrial chain of Chinese urban rail transit and relevant departments for their efforts to complete the project and for introducing the design, manufacturing, construction, operation and maintenance in abroad.

Chinese Consul General Long Ding Bin told the ceremony that the Punjab government has provided full support for completion of the OLMT project and its commercial operation have started. He congratulated Punjab and people of Pakistan. He said that the project is a milestone in the friendship between Pakistan and China. “This is the first state-of-the-art rail project in Pakistan which has been successfully launched. This project has given new dimension to Pak-China friendship as this project of CPEC was a best example of partnership between Pakistan and China,” he added.