TAXILA: Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaquat Ali Chattha on Thursday inaugurated multi-million development projects in various parts of Attock.

Regional Police Officer Syed Khurram Ali Shah, Deputy Commissioner Attock Rao Atif Raza, Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue Waqas Aslam Marth, Additional Deputy Commissioner Finance and Planning Waqar Akbar Cheema, Assistant Commissioner Shagufta Jabeen, Assistant Commissioner Dr Sana Ramchand, Chief Executive Health Authority Dr Asad Ismail, Chief Executive District Education Authority Malik Mohsin Abbas and other officials were also present.

The commissioner inaugurated the newly-constructed assistant commissioner complex in Hassanabdal. Later, he performed the groundbreaking of the gate to Attock (Baab-i-Attock) project on GT Road near Hattian in Hazro. He also inaugurated Baab-i-Attock at Hatian.

Briefing him on the occasion, the deputy commissioner said the project was part of beautification and uplift of the district.

City to have botanical garden on 33 kanals, commissioner informed

He said Rs251.547 million had been allocated for construction of the monument and its adjoining roads and it would be completed in 2024.

Mr Chattha also performed the groundbreaking of District Public School, Attock. He was informed that the school, the project of district government, would be constructed on 20 kanals near Teen Mela Chowk at a total cost of Rs350 million.

He also inaugurated the newly-constructed Medical Social Service Unit at Government Asfandyar Bukhari Hospital at a cost of Rs9.057 million to provide best medical facilities to poor and needy patients. The commissioner also performed the groundbreaking of the first ever botanical garden in the district.

Divisional Forest Officer Ishfaq Basheer Bhutta said that a botanical garden would be established on 33 kanals in the heart of the city where over 1,000 precious species would be planted.

He said that the garden would be established as a centre of excellence for study and research on botanical plants.

He said a special Quran corner would also be established in the garden in which around 51 plants mentioned in the holy Quran would be planted.

He said the department had set the target to establish the garden during the current spring season.

Later, the commissioner presided over a meeting of the district administration. He was informed that during the ongoing crackdown against hoarders, profiteers and violators of official price lists, 190,000 raids were carried out by respective price magistrates in commercial and business areas of six tehsils in which more than Rs20 million fines were imposed, 32 FIRs registered and 3679 arrests made.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2023