TOBA TEK SINGH: A 43-kanal modern public park being built on the prime land vacated by the old fruit and vegetable market is nearing completion in Faisalabad.

The land was retrieved from squatters by the Faisalabad Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) as a result of a grand anti-encroachment operation launched by the Faisalabad Municipal Corporation last year.

Earlier, the fruit and vegetable market had been shifted from the congested city area to a site near Sadhar bypass several years ago. However, different portions of the vacated land were occupied by land grabbers.

Commissioner Ms Silwat Saeed told reporters on Tuesday that an amount of Rs320 million has been approved by the Punjab government for the construction of this public park on the vacated piece of land.

She said the company given the contract for the park’s construction had been asked to increase the workforce so that the project could be completed by Jan 31.

She said that she has also ordered further upgrade of the play area for children in the park and to provide high-standard facilities to the visitors. She said separate washrooms have also been built in the park for men, women, children and special persons.

PHA Director general Zameer Hussain says the park also features walkways, a jogging track, an outdoor gymnasium, fountains, horticulture work and a food court.

CODE OF CONDUCT: Faisalabad District Monitoring Officer (DMO) Muhammad Zubair Watto has said that the pana-flexes displayed by candidates in violation of the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), for Feb 8 polls, have been removed across the district.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, he said that under the code of conduct, candidates were bound to abide by the ECP directions. He added that candidates can only display posters having 18x23 inch size, handbills, pamphlets, 9x6 inch leaflets, 3x9 foot banners and 2x3 foot portraits during their election campaign.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2024