GUJRAT: Local authorities are considering to use the abandoned building of Wazirabad Cutlery Institute to house the district administration offices as a stopgap arrangement to run the newly-created Wazirabad district.

Official sources say though the search for an appropriate place for the establishment of district government complex in Wazirabad had been launched by the local authorities, the option to use the building of the cutlery institute, located on Wazirabad-Sialkot road, temporarily for the purpose, is being considered by the administration.

The sources say Gujrat division Commissioner Ahmed Kamal and Deputy Commissioner (DC ) Amer Shahzad Kang also paid a visit to the institute’s building to inspect and consider it for its use as district government complex.

They say the resources of a local civic agency will be used to repair and renovate the building which has been lying abandoned since long, while the machinery meant for the cutlery institute is rusting there.

However, the sources say that the building and land of the cutlery institute is owned by the federal government’s Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the administration may need permission of the federal commerce ministry to use the premises for another purpose.

A senior administrative official says the Cutlery Manufactures Association, that is a stakeholder of the institute, has no objection to use its building as district government complex as a stopgap arrangement.

On the other hand, some alternate sites along the GT Road near Dhonkal Morr and Sialkot Road on the outskirts of Wazirabad city have also been proposed for the establishment of district complex, the sources say.

The Punjab government has yet to take final decision on the matter.

As per an estimate earlier prepared by the Gujranwala district administration, an amount of at least Rs14 billion is required for the acquisition of land, construction of district complex and recruitment of around 1,100 employees in more than 30 departments at the district level to make the new Wazirabad district functional.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2022