Daily Times

Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed Sunday said the government would construct more roads with its own resources during its governmental tenure as compared to the previous governments.

Addressing an event “successful completion of recent accomplishment”, he said the incumbent government had started three times more road projects than the previous two government, adding that a number of road projects were under construction while few of them had already been completed.

The government was working to bring further improvement in National Highway Authority (NHA) system, adding that modern technology was being acquired to ensure transparency in different departments.

The minister said the incumbent government would start more development initiatives in backward and deprived areas of the country to facilitate people.

He said the construction of new motorways and highways would be started across the country soon.

The minister said the work would be started on Dir-Swat, D.I.Khan-Peshawar and Hyderbad-Sukkar Motorways by April this year.

He said an important motorway project Sialkot-Kharian and Kharian-Rawalpindi would be started in current fiscal year before June, adding that the work would also be started on Balkasar-Mianwali and Muzafarghar- DG Khan roads.

He said they have also initiated mega road projects like M-8, Khuzdar-Basima, Ratto Dero, CPEC Western route and Dara Adamkhel project.

He said the western route of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), after completion, would bring prosperity in the backward areas of South Balochistan.

The minister said that Rs 50 billion revenue target was achieved by his ministry, adding that the revenue target would be increased upto Rs 100 billion.

He said provision of free medical facility was the prime responsibility of the state and the government was ensuring it across the country.

He said the distribution of Sehat Insaf Cards (SIC) to 100 percent population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been completed, adding, the distribution process of the facility was also underway in Punjab, Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Murad Saeed said Prime Minister Imran Khan also directed Balochistan government to start Sehat Insaf Card programme, adding that Sindh government should also take the initiative.

The minister said 100 percent population of Punjab would be provided universal health insurance by the end of this year.

Later, the minister also pinned promotion badges to newly promoted officers of National Highway and Motorway Police (NH&MP). He also distributed confirmation letters among the newly regularized employees.

The minister expressed his confidence that the promoted officers would perform their duties with dedication.

He highly praised NH&MP Inspector General Syed Kaleem Imam and officials for outstanding performance.