NAROWAL: Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has laid the foundation stone of a new 300-bed teaching hospital in Sialkot to be built at the cost of Rs9 billion.

Provincial Minister for Labour and Manpower Khawaja Muhammad Manshaullah, Provincial Minister for Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, MPA Chaudhry Faisal Ikram and Deputy Commissioner Sialkot Saba Asghar Ali were also present.

Addressing the foundation-stone laying ceremony, Mr Asif said Shehbaz Sharif had approved the teaching hospital project in 2016 but the subsequent governments delayed the project for 10 years due to which the cost increased by three to four billion rupees.

He said Rs9bn would be spent on the completion of this project, terming the delay in the project and the increase in the cost of its construction as criminal negligence. He expressed gratitude to CM Maryam Nawaz for providing funds for the project.

Mr Asif said that in Sialkot, Nullah Bhid is being redesigned and 7,000 tonnes of garbage had been removed during the cleaning of the drain. He said that during the rainy season and floods last year, one floor of people’s houses was submerged in water and steps were being taken to resolve the problems of the citizens on a permanent basis.

The minister said that work is also underway on the restoration and renovation of the historical places like Allama Iqbal Manzil and Sialkot Fort while the District Complex would be shifted to Eminabad Road at a huge cost.

He added that the Ring Road project had been approved at a cost of Rs18 billion and it would start from Sambrial and connect various highways to Daska Road, Eminabad Road and Pasrur Road. He said that this elevated road project would be completed in the next two years.

Health Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique also spoke.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2026