AGL 40.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.21 (-0.52%)
AIRLINK 127.35 Decreased By ▼ -0.29 (-0.23%)
BOP 6.65 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.3%)
CNERGY 4.50 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (1.12%)
DCL 8.66 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-0.8%)
DFML 40.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.36 (-0.87%)
DGKC 85.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.51 (-0.59%)
FCCL 33.05 Increased By ▲ 0.49 (1.5%)
FFBL 64.40 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (0.03%)
FFL 11.65 Increased By ▲ 0.04 (0.34%)
HUBC 112.15 Decreased By ▼ -0.31 (-0.28%)
HUMNL 15.13 Increased By ▲ 0.32 (2.16%)
KEL 5.22 Increased By ▲ 0.18 (3.57%)
KOSM 7.60 Increased By ▲ 0.24 (3.26%)
MLCF 40.28 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.12%)
NBP 61.18 Increased By ▲ 0.10 (0.16%)
OGDC 192.01 Decreased By ▼ -2.17 (-1.12%)
PAEL 27.10 Increased By ▲ 0.19 (0.71%)
PIBTL 7.39 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (1.51%)
PPL 152.80 Increased By ▲ 0.12 (0.08%)
PRL 26.26 Increased By ▲ 0.04 (0.15%)
PTC 16.90 Increased By ▲ 0.76 (4.71%)
SEARL 85.30 Decreased By ▼ -0.40 (-0.47%)
TELE 7.67 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
TOMCL 34.42 Decreased By ▼ -2.05 (-5.62%)
TPLP 8.66 Decreased By ▼ -0.13 (-1.48%)
TREET 17.05 Increased By ▲ 0.21 (1.25%)
TRG 63.14 Increased By ▲ 0.40 (0.64%)
UNITY 27.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.40 (-1.42%)
WTL 1.31 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-2.24%)
BR100 10,111 Increased By 25.8 (0.26%)
BR30 31,180 Increased By 10 (0.03%)
KSE100 94,900 Increased By 136.5 (0.14%)
KSE30 29,432 Increased By 21.6 (0.07%)

According to the press reports, plans are under way to construct additional lodges at Islamabad, as many as 96, for the parliamentarians. The six-storey complex, to be erected at an area of over two-acre, is estimated to cost Rupees 25 million. Also, the federal and provincial governments are reported to spend Rupees 690 million, for the purchase of bullet-proof vehicles and jamming devices required for the security of the elected and not-elected VVIPs.
It appears to be a novel methodology adopted by the government to deal with the menace of growing unemployment, in the historical Mughal emperors' style. Indeed, the construction of luxury lodges would create jobs for many, and purchase of special vehicles and equipment would benefit many! One wonders if other similar government schemes for poverty alleviation (or is it poverty elevation?) are on cards.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2004

Comments

Comments are closed.