RAWALPINDI: Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar on Tuesday said the government was considering establishing a museum in Haveli Sujaan Singh to present the culture of the area.

He also hinted at setting up of a task force for the protection and preservation of Hindu temples, old mosques and worship places of minorities.

The 127-year-old Sujaan Singh Haveli located in the narrow streets of Bhabra Bazaar was once the residence of renowned political figure Sardar Sujaan Singh. The Sikh family also owned a building on The Mall which was converted into Fatima Jinnah Women University during the second tenure of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 1990s.

Says task force will also be set up for protection and preservation of Hindu temples, old mosques and worship places of minorities

“The protection of historic and old buildings is our national responsibility and the constitution of the task force is under consideration,” said the chief minister.

He stated this during a meeting at Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Rawalpindi.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Raja Rashid Hafeez and officials from different departments.

The chief minister was briefed about the working of the PHA and its future plans. The proposal to constitute a task force to protect historic and old buildings in Rawalpindi was also discussed.

The meeting decided to take measures to restore old worship places and launch a beautification drive in the city.

It was also decided that parking plazas would be constructed to resolve traffic issues in Rawalpindi.

The meeting was informed that there was a dire need to construct at least 10 parking plazas in the main markets and bazaars in the city.

The chief minister expressed satisfaction over the performance and planning of the PHA.

The government will take all-out measures to enhance the beauty of Rawalpindi. Instructions have been issued to beautify the entry end and exit points of all cities and citizens should also play their role in this regard.

PHA Chairman Asif Mehmood told the meeting that the authority would make a record by planting 25,000 saplings in a day in the adjoining areas of Rawalpindi.

He said signboards of same patterns would be displayed in old bazaars.

The chief minister conducted a snap inspection of Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) and asked the administration to provide maximum facilities to the patients.

He also talked to the patients and their attendants about the facilities besides asking the doctors and paramedical staff about their problems. The patients expressed satisfaction over the facilities.

Mr Buzdar said transforming the RIC into a cardiovascular diseases centre would be reviewed and this model would also be adopted in D.G. Khan and in a hospital to be set up in Quetta in collaboration with the Punjab government.

He said the RIC would be given every possible resource for free treatment of patients. He was also given a briefing about the facilities.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2019