RAWALPINDI: Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that the Rawalpindi Ring Road project should not be dropped and should be launched this year even with changes to its alignment or redesign.

Talking to mediapersons at his camp office in Saddar on Saturday, the minister said he was not against an inquiry into the road project scam, adding whosoever was found guilty should be taken to task. But he insisted that the mega project should not be abandoned as the prime minister had also given the go-ahead for it.

He said the project should be laun­ched even with changes to its design and a fresh tender. “We will have it in­­augurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan.”

Welcomes Chaudhry Nisar’s reported decision to take oath as member of Punjab Assembly

Sarwar Khan said he had suggested to the prime minister to get a briefing on the project but due to his engagements he could not do so. However, he added that the project was approved by the provincial government, not by the prime minister.

“Neither I nor my family is involved in any alignment or purchase of property, yet I believe that there should be an inquiry into the matter,” Mr Khan said, adding he had already presented himself for accountability. He said he had also informed the prime minister and the cabinet that neither he nor his family was involved in the redesign of the road or purchase of land for it.

To a question regarding the oath taking of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan as member of the Punjab Assembly three years after the general elections, the minister said: “It is good news that Chaudhry Nisar is taking oath which shows that he has admitted his defeat on two National Assembly seats in 2018.”

Mr Khan added: “He (Chaudhry Nisar) has realised that Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz have not accepted him as he will not get the previous position, therefore, he has decided to take the oath before the promulgation of an ordinance.”

He said there was no grouping in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, adding Jehangir Khan Tareen had always said he was a member of the PTI and Imran Khan was his leader.

Mr Khan said some of his PTI friends met the prime minister recently and the latter made it clear to them that every individual had to pass through legal process to get himself cleared. “Nobody is above the law.”

To another question regarding the PIA plane crash in Karachi on May 22, 2020, the minister expressed the hope that the final investigation report into the crash would be presented in the National Assembly before the end of this year.

“All concerns shown by the Interna­tional Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on safety and technical and licence issues have been addressed. On our request, they had scheduled a visit to Pakistan this summer but due to the pandemic it was postponed.”

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2021