Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has expressed his indignation over the delay in execution of Bab-e-Pakistan project and said that despite his clear instructions last year, neither the pace of work has been accelerated nor boy and girl schools have been completed.
He said that this historic project to mark the sacrifices of the forefathers of the country in the struggle for the creation of Pakistan was of vital importance and no further delay would be tolerated. He said that former rulers showed criminal negligence during the last eight years towards this project and in spite of availability of funds the project is still pending.
This was stated by him during his visit to Bab-e-Pakistan at Walton Road on Friday to review the pace of implementation of the project. Member National Assembly Kh. Saad Rafiq, Members Provincial Assembly Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd.), Mian Naseer Ahmed, Muhammad Yaseen Sohail, Project Director Bab-e-Pakistan and officers concerned were present.
The Chief Minister while speaking at a briefing said that he during his visit to Bab-e-Pakistan last year had issued instructions for the early completion of the project but the pace of work has not been expedited satisfactorily. He said that nothing could be more important than education but the boy and girl schools, which are part of the project, have also not been completed.
He said on one hand the common man is deprived of even basic necessities, there was a plan to import stone worth Rs 700 million from abroad for this project. However, he said, this process was stopped immediately and instructions were issued to use only local material.
He said that no effort should be spared in early completion of the project and schools should be completed on priority basis. Earlier, Project Director Brigadier Asif Murad gave a detailed briefing regarding the project. He said that the project, which was started in 2006, was to be completed in 2008. Member National Assembly Kh. Saad Rafiq informed the Chief Minister about the causes of delay.