BAHAWALPUR: Municipal Corporation Mayor Aqeel Najam Hashmi says that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has assured him that funds will be released for the provision of basic facilities to citizens.

Talking to Dawn, the mayor said the chief minister during a meeting with him last week in Lahore had promised to visit Bahawalpur in near future and he would announce funds for the beautification of the city.

Mr Hashmi said he suggested deputy commissioner Dr Ehtesham Anwar Mahar to form a coordination committee of government departments doing people’s welfare projects to integrate efforts for the betterment of the city and provide maximum facilities to citizens.

He said currently the MC, Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) and Highways and Building Department were carrying out different development works in the city.

He said concerted efforts were being made for the development of the city and, as such, a coordination committee be formed which could go a long way towards completing this task in accordance with the aspiration of citizens.

The mayor said the citizens expected that their longstanding problems would be solved with the revival of the local bodies.

He said a visible change in the city’s development and beautification should be felt after the restoration of LBs.

Published in Dawn January 24th, 2017