Sahiwal-Samundri expressway on cards: Governor Punjab

LAHORE: Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said that Sahiwal will be linked with Lahore-Karachi motorway via a two-way expressway from Sahiwal to Samundri interchange next year.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony to carpet 8-kilometer long Sahiwal by-pass in Sahiwal on Thursday, he said the 9 billion rupees scheme will be included in the Annual Development Program of the next fiscal budget of Punjab, adding the government is focused on the completion of development projects so that promised with the masses are fulfilled.

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said, on the special intervention of Prime Minister Imran Khan, repair and carpeting of Lahore-Sahiwal G.T. Road scheme has started which will cost 3.059 billion rupees and will be completed by June 2022 in phases.

Vice-chairman Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC) Punjab Waseem Ramey, PTI leaders Rai Hassan Nawaz, Sheikh Muhammad Chohan and Ali Shakoor Khan, General Manager (GM) National Highway Authority (NHA) Iftikhar Ahmad Sajid, Chairman Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority Dr Shakeel Ahmad, and others were present on the occasion.

Hailing initiatives of Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, the Governor Punjab said work on the project for construction and repair of all GT roads in Punjab has started, adding that a motorway from Samundri to Sahiwal is on the cards which will connect Sahiwal to the Lahore-Karachi Motorway and save time besides promoting trade and business.

He said G.T. Road is the backbone of country’s economy as 70 percent transport relies on it, adding that the carpeting of Lahore-Sahiwal G.T. Road will cut down the travelling time by half an hour.

He said that the development projects are being implemented in all the districts of Punjab without discrimination, adding that development projects in health and education sectors are the top priority of the government.

He said that previous governments had given priority to only a few cities in terms of development projects, but the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan has initiated development projects for the people in urban as well as rural areas.

To a question, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that there is no consensus among the opposition political parties and all are pitted against one another.

Sarwar said the opposition parties are struggling for their political survival and will not resign from the assemblies, adding that the government is not wary of the opposition parties.

The Governor Punjab said the opposition still has time to acknowledge public mandate of the PTI government and play its role in strengthening democracy instead of destabilizing the government and the country.

He said all the institutions including the government are on the same page for the development and prosperity of the country.

Sarwar said, under the Ehsaas program, the federal government is supporting the low-income sections of the population, adding that the government is utilizing all resources to overcome the challenges and provide relief to the public.

The Governor Punjab said the PTI government is working expeditiously on Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme to provide shelter to the homeless and Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme project in Lahore on April 10, adding that houses will be provided to the people including government employees on easy installments without any political discrimination.