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ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday said five more sectors would shortly be opened to meet the housing backlog and stabilise the skyrocketing prices of land in Islamabad.
Most of these new sectors would be developed for the low- income group, he said while inaugurating the long-awaited residential sector D-12 at the Capital Development Authority (CDA) head offices. The ceremony was scheduled to be held at the site but was changed for security reasons.
The prime minister said: “The precious land bank” of the CDA would be utilised to develop the capital city and provide a better housing to the masses.”
“The opening of the sector after 17 years is one of the examples of good governance of the present government,” the prime minister said. The auctioning of land in Islamabad to resolve the people’s problems and boost development activities is also a fruit of good governance, he said.
“It is the loss of the country if its assets are not being utilised properly and for the benefit of the people,” he added.
Mr Aziz revealed that in view of the prevailing boost in the real estate business, the government had made a crash training programme to produce skilled and qualified workers.
The boost in the construction business the world over, specially in Afghanistan, drained 40,000 skilled Pakistani labours and workers out causing their shortage in the country.
Mr Aziz said he would soon lay the foundation stone of the international standard Islamabad New Airport near Fateh Jang. “The construction of the new airport would also boost development and economic activities in the country,” he hoped.
In this connection, he directed the CDA chairman, Kamran Lashari, to construct a highway from the new airport to Islamabad on the pattern of motorway so that it could bear the future traffic burden. He suggested that a link road from Chak Shahzad to the existing airport should also be upgraded to reduce traffic burden on Islamabad highway.
He stressed the need for improvement of Kashmir Highway and airport link roads. “The roads should be well-constructed because the vehicle’s fuel that burns due to traffic jam causes loss of foreign exchange,” he said. “We have also reduced VVIP movements to save fuel and people’s time,” he claimed.
MODEL TRAFFIC SYSTEM: Mr Aziz announced that a model traffic system on the pattern of Motorway Police would also be introduced in the capital very soon. “The system would be a model for the rest of the country and we would urge the provinces to adopt the same system in their respective major cities,” he added.
Talking about Sector D-12, he said it was the second sector opened in the capital in one month, as Sector I-15 had already been inaugurated last month.
ABOUT PLOTS QUOTA: The prime minister said there would be no fixed quotas in allotment of plots in any sector including himself except the quota for journalists. “I think journalists deserve this,” he added. He said the plots in all new sectors would be allotted through an open and transparent system by computerised balloting.
He appreciated the efforts of the Ministerial Committee and the affected people for resolving the issue of compensation. He said housing industry was heart of the country’s economy and directly affected over 40 ancillary industries.
He said the housing sector would not only create numerous job opportunities for thousands of people but also boost the country’s economy. He said having a house was a dream and assured that the government would utilise all resources to make this dream come true.
