SAHIWAL: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) parliamentarians plan to propose five mega development projects having an estimated cost of Rs11.50 billion during the upcoming visit of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

Deputy Commissioner Zeeshan Javed who is head of the District Development Committee confirmed to Dawn that all necessary proposal work had been accomplished.

Sources said the proposed plan included construction of a 250-bed Children Hospital at a cost of Rs2.65 billion, 150-bed cardiac centre (Rs1.65 billion) and 50-bed burns unit (Rs1 billion). Besides, the parliamentarian plan to demand the construction of an express highway which would connect the city with the newly-constructed Lahore-Multan Motorway from Samundri Interchange. The total cost of both roads would be Rs6 billion.

The road projects were envisaged by Malik Nadeem Kamran, a former minister for planning and development in the last PML-N government. The PTI MPAs have decided to demand that the Punjab government connect Sahiwal from Samundri that would reduce travel time from Sahiwal to Multan and Lahore.

Sources say no PML-N parliamentarian has been granted any development fund during the last 17 months and the district and divisional administration is ‘obliging’ the elected members of the PTI. They say Nauman Langrial, agriculture minister from Kasowal, and Rai Murtaza from Chichawatni have developed these future proposals in keeping with the long-standing demands of the people of Sahiwal.

Rai Murtaza Iqbal told Dawn that the PTI would try its level best to have these proposals materialised.

Sahiwal is considered the PML-N stronghold and the PTI MPAs understand the need to do anything concrete to win over the constituents even in future elections, say sources.

SUGAR BAGS: Around 4,000 sugar bags (50kh each) have been recovered from a stockist’s warehouse in Chichawatni.

Assistant Commissioner Raja Muhammad Qasim led a crackdown on godowns and warehouses and recovered sugar bags.

The deputy commissioner told Dawn that the sugar bags were owned by Haji Khalid, owner of a grocery store. He said Rs50,000 fine had been imposed on the stockist.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2020