SIALKOT, July 28: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced restoring the project to establish a medical college here and forming a special committee consisting of elected representatives and renowned businessmen to monitor the project.

He was addressing local businessmen and notables at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Monday during the first leg of his two-day visit to the district after becoming the chief minister.

SCCI President Dr Khurram Anwar Khawaja, secretaries of 18 provincial departments and prominent businessmen and representatives of local trade bodies were also present.

The chief minister announced a number of development schemes for the area, particularly for the uplift of the city. On the pressing demand of the local business community, the chief minister announced restoring the otherwise shelved Sialkot Medical College project.

He also announced ensuring early release of a special matching grant of Rs408.6 million under the Sialkot City Development Package, which was to be carried out in collaboration with local business community, but was frozen or abandoned subsequently.

During his first stint as chief minister nine years ago, Sharif had announced this grant during his visit to the SCCI on June 1, 1999.

He also announced immediate establishment of intensive care units (ICUs) and orthopaedic units each at Allama Iqbal Memorial DHQ Hospital and Sardar Begum Memorial Hospital.

He also announced construction of two bridges over Nullah Aik in the city, one near Nekapura and the other near Douburji Malhiyaan, besides constructing another flyover or underpass to streamline traffic throughout the city. He also announced laying new sewerage pipelines in the city.

The chief minister said the provincial government would soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the business community of Sialkot under which special monitoring committees would be formed to look after all the (above-mentioned) development projects.

The chief minister also ordered immediate dualisation of Sialkot-Gujranwala and Sialkot-Eimenabad roads besides early completion of under-construction Sialkot-Wazirabad Road.

The chief minister assured the business community that effective and positive economic and trade policies would continue to strengthen national economy and to promote sustainable trade activities.

He said the local business community had set a golden example of completing several mega projects on self-help basis, persuading others to follow it.

He also hailed the local export culture and marvellous socio-economic and human resources development, again chiefly on self-help basis.

He said the government was making all out efforts to bring a revolution of industrial development by revamping the SMEs sector.

Sharif said the government was fully aware of the problems being faced by the businessmen and was trying to remove all bottlenecks hindering trade activities.

Earlier, DCO Capt Atta Muhammad Khan (retired) gave a detailed briefing about ongoing development schemes in the district.

The chief minister directed the officials concerned to expedite these projects besides ensuring consumption of quality materials and their timely completion.

Later, addressing an open court in Pasrur, Sharif pledged to weed out corruption from all government departments to ensure cheap and speedy justice to the people.

He said the government was trying to control ‘skyrocketing’ price-hike caused by the wrong policies of the previous regime.

Sharif said all promises made to the people, including the restoration of superior courts judges, supremacy of the Constitution, stability of democracy and solution of national issues, would be honoured and working relationship with allied parties would be maintained at the federal as well as provincial levels without compromising on principles.

Later, addressing a meeting of party workers at Anwar Club Auditorium here, Sharif, who is also the president of the PML-N, said his party would take solid steps to resolve political, economic and administrative problems being faced by the country and would not disappoint the masses.

Earlier, talking to reporters, the chief minister said the party's stand on the restoration of judges reflected the aspirations of 160 million people of the country and the PML-N would stick to its stance.

He said that all possible cooperation would be extended to allied parties to solve national issues and viable proposals would be given to ensure civilian’s rule instead of any dictator’s.

He said that party leaders, office-bearers and elected representatives should maintain a close liaison with the people to resolve their problems.

Expressing concern over a lack of coordination among the government and its coalition partners, the PML-N president urged the government to take on board all component parties of the alliance prior to taking key decisions on national issues otherwise it could grow weaker and weaker.

Sharif said that inordinate delay in announcing the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf and reinstatement of the deposed judges was enhancing the gravity of political crisis.

The chief minister will visit Daska on Tuesday (today). He will inspect Daska’s THQ Hospital besides holding an open court at Civil Rest House.