TAXILA, Jan 18: Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower Ghulam Sarwar Khan said the government had planned to establish industrial zones at Jhang Bhattar and Chakri interchanges along the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway.
The minister was speaking at a reception hosted by the Traders Association Taxila in his honour here on Monday. He said the government was well aware of the needs of the people and it would utilize all its resources to fulfil their genuine demands.
He said provision of basic amenities including potable water and health care and education facilities was the prime responsibility of the government. He said keeping in view the demand of the local traders, a well-equipped fire fighting facility would be made available in the city this year.
Mr Khan said Taxila-Khanpur road would also be widened at a cost of Rs20 million to accommodate the increasing traffic. Besides, a Taxila-HMC link road will also be constructed considering the flow of heavy traffic towards the Hattar Industrial Estate, he added.
He said special incentives would be given to expatriate Pakistanis so that they could also participate in national development. The minister said all these projects would not only bring economic prosperity to the people, but also help reduce unemployment.
PPP-MMA DRIVE: People's Party Parliamentarians MNA Naveed Qamar has said the PPP is ready to join hands with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in the latter's drive against Gen Pervez Musharraf for keeping offices of the president and the army chief.
Talking to the press, the PPP leader said the movement would not only be against the president's decision to hold both office, but also for restoration of the Constitution as well as supremacy of the parliament.
He said political deadlock was prevailing in the country, adding that there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Mr Qamar said secondary leadership had been brought forward to run the political setup, but it had failed to provide relief to the masses.
He said President Musharraf had vowed that he would quit the office of the army chief before January 1, 2005, but he did not keep his words, leading the country to a political crisis.
He said parliamentary system was being sidelined and the country was moving towards presidential form of government. The PPP leader also expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan and said the government had failed in ensuring peace across the country. He urged the government to take the exiled leaders of the PPP and the PML-N into confidence regarding the law and order situation in the country.
