GUJRANWALA, March 31: The expenditure on the president’s public meeting in Gujranwala on March 15, which was estimated to be around Rs72 million, has been paid to the people concerned by the relevant ministry, it is learnt on Saturday.

The amount was spent on people’s transportation to the Jinnah Stadium from remote areas, security measures, installations at the venue and facelift of city roads and other public facilities.

Sources said that the government had already released Rs32 million for the purpose. The ministry concerned on Saturday paid another Rs40 million to the service providers on the recommendations of the City District Government Gujranwala.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf had announced development package of Rs7 billion for the city and Rs1.5 billion for 124 union councils in rural areas.

Underpass: The inauguration of the Peoples’ Colony underpass was delayed on Saturday until April 10, as the contractor reportedly stopped construction work to pressure the government to release his outstanding bills.

The district administration had planned the inauguration of the underpass on March 31 but the contractor pressed the administration to clear his outstanding dues worth Rs22.5 million ahead of the inauguration ceremony and he deliberately delayed the completion of work.

A highway engineer said that the construction work would be completed in a day as 50 workers were working on the project.

He said the underpass would open to traffic on April 10.

POLICE working: The Justice Criminal Coordination Committee expressed dissatisfaction over police performance and its non-cooperation with the judiciary to dispose of cases. Speaking at a meeting on Saturday, District and Sessions Court Judge Mazher Hussain Minhas said that court orders were not being followed which delayed the conclusion of cases.