TAXILA: The ground-breaking ceremony for Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP) was held in Hazro, Attock, on Sunday.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam performed the ground-breaking.

NPHP comprises 400 kanals, including 658 plots. The plots will be given to people through ballot and on merit. A park, walking track and commercial area with 38 shops will also be established in the colony. The project is expected to be completed in Dec 2021 at the cost of Rs37.9 million.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Aslam said: “The project is a step towards fulfilling the commitment made with the public by PTI. Construction of five million houses for low-income segments of society across the country was a difficult task. The government will, however, meet the challenge as necessary legislation is being made to provide loans to people. The governmentis striving to develop Pakistan as a welfare state and NPHP is a part of that process.”

He vowed to help people move from katchi abadis into swiftly constructed flats and high-rises, in a bid to overcome shortage of housing for lower-income groups. “Work on a similar project in Attock has also been started. For NPHP, 700 kanals of land has been acquired. Almost 100,000 Sehat Insaf cards have been distributed in Attock so far while 30,000 cards will be distributed to more people in the coming days,” he added.

PTI Punjab spokesman Qazi Ahmed Akbar said that “a state of the art” trauma centre will be constructed at Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital Hazro besides construction of an e-library in Hazro, for which Rs7.5 million has been allocated.

Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Development Malik Taimoor Masood Akbar and Punjab Housing Authority Director General Punjab Ziauddin were also present.

Nine cattle markets set up

The district administration of Attock has set up nine cattle markets in various cities where Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) would be implemented strictly.

This was stated by Deputy Commissioner Ali Anan Qammar during a visit to the model cattle market in Gondal near the Attock city.

He said another market has been set up on the railway ground in the city, two at Gali Jageer and College Road in Fatehjang, two in Domeel and near the police station in Jand, one each at Hazro, G.T. Road near Hassanabdal and at Hariwala in Pindigheb.

He said the administration has decided to impose a ban on selling cattle in areas other than the designated markets. He said no fee would be charged from sellers and purchasers.

The DC said all six tehsil administrations in collaboration with the administration of cattle markets should ensure that the markets operated from 6am to 7pm.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2020