LAHORE: The PML-Q has asked Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to fix responsibility for the loss of billions of rupees to the exchequer caused by leaving various projects incomplete in the province.

In a ‘fact sheet’ about, what the party called, the Punjab government’s inability to complete various development projects, the PML-Q said on Thursday the Wazirabad Cardiology Hospital started during the tenure of Pervaiz Elahi was scheduled to become functional in 2008, but the Shahbaz government could not finish the remaining 10 per cent work in last six years. “Due to negligence of the government, costly machinery (meant for the hospital) has been stolen and cost estimate has now swelled by Rs1bn”.

It says Elahi’s government spent Rs1.5bn on Murree Water Supply Project, envisaged with total estimated cost of Rs3.5 billion. “This project is also lying shut while its cost has been doubled.”

Similarly, it points out that Pervaiz Elahi got constructed the new building of the Punjab Assembly, completing its 80 per cent work in 2007, along with procurement of essential machinery. “But, this project also could not be completed till date as its cost has increased by Rs3bn.”

The PML-Q ‘fact sheet’ also mentions 42 new colleges constructed in Punjab by 2007, which remained without staff and furniture after six years. Additional funds of Rs3 billion were now required for making these colleges functional, it added.

The Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College was scheduled to be completed in 2009 at an estimated cost of Rs2 billion but it was still incomplete, it says. Due to delay, its cost had gone up by Rs2bn.

The Ministers’ Block was got almost completed with modern facilities for convenience of people and speedy disposal of official work, the report says, mentioning that the remaining 10 per cent work could not be completed due to delay in provision of additional funds of Rs2.5bn.

It says the work on IT Tower had been completed up to 95 per cent in 2007 but it was shut by Shahbaz government in 2008. “Afterwards, work on it was started again by paying penalty of Rs350million to the same Chinese company and due to delay additional funds of Rs500 million were spent.”

Some 50 per cent work of Mayo Hospital Surgical Tower was completed during the tenure of Mr Elahi, the party says, adding a loss of millions of rupees was caused to the exchequer by stopping the project.

It also mentions Burn Unit of Faisalabad, Bahawalpur Cardiology Centre and Kidney Centre projects which were scheduled to be completed by 2009. However, because of suspension of work during the last six years, construction cost of these projects had increased by Rs2bn.

Mr Elahi had launched a Land Record Comput erisation project which was scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2012. Because of six-year delay, its cost had increased by Rs6bn.