LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar chaired on Tuesday a meeting of the Lahore Ring Road Authority to review the Lahore Ring Road Southern Loop-III Project.

The meeting was told that this 8km long six-lane wide road linking Raiwind Road to Multan Road would be completed in one year through the public-private partnership. The NLC would construct and operate it and the agreement would be signed in the second week of June. This project would help ease traffic pressure on Multan and Canal roads.

The chief minister directed the officials that preparations of starting the Lahore Southern Loop-IV Project should be completed as soon as possible to link Multan Road with M-III. “This project will complete the 90km long Lahore Ring Road Project,” he added.

OIL PRICES: The chief minister says benefits of the recent decrease in the prices of petroleum products should reach the common man and the government will ensure it.

In a statement here on Tuesday, he directed the administration that immediate steps be taken in this regard. The line departments should ensure adoption of relief activities through organised planning, he added.

Similarly, the CM stressed that steps should also be taken to lower the prices of essential items to provide relief to the common man. “The PTI government is working day and night to provide relief to the citizens and the recent decrease in the prices of petroleum products is a gift to the people,” he said and added that the government had won the hearts of the people by doing so.

SIRAJ: The inflation is still not under control despite decrease in the petroleum products’ prices as the government has failed to ensure a corresponding decline in the prices of the daily-use items, laments chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Sirajul Haq.

Talking to JI Secretary General Ameerul Azim here at Mansoora on Tuesday, he said the prices of everything went up the moment an increase in the POL prices was announced, but the rates did not come down in case of reversal of petroleum prices.

Asking the government to take note of the current situation, Mr Haq said it was duty of the rulers to provide a relief to the poverty-stricken masses.

“Millions of labourers and daily wagers were living a miserable life and many of them were compelled to commit suicides as they were unable to make the both ends meet in the prevailing situation. People were closing down their businesses and according to government’s own figures around 17.3 million became jobless since the start of Corona pandemic,” he said, adding that 60 million went below the poverty line during the same period.

Despite such a situation, he regretted, the prime minister and his team were eulogising themselves for the partial reduction in the POL prices, contrary to the fact that the decrease was nothing when compared to the prices in the international market.

Chiding the rulers for failing to provide relief to the masses in the holy month of Ramazan, the JI emir emphasised the need to at least take action now to pass some benefit of reduction in the POL prices on to the poor.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2020