LAHORE: President Dr Arif Alvi and Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Friday visited the Fatima Jinnah Institute of Dental Sciences project, Jubilee Town, on Friday where the CM ordered its early completion.

Earlier, the chief minister, along with provincial ministers, welcomed the president at Lahore Airport. They inspected various portions of the project and reviewed the pace of work.

The CM ordered early completion of the project and announced to upgrade it to the status of Fatima Jinnah Dental University.

Mr Elahi said the scheme was approved in his previous tenure in 2005, but the PML-N government made no significant progress on it. Like other public welfare schemes, he said, this project also became a victim of political enmity.

He said the project could not be made functional despite a lapse of 17 years (including three-and-a-half years of PTI governments in centre and Punjab), adding that the delay resulted in increasing the construction cost.

He said the failure in timely completion of healthcare schemes was criminal negligence. He added that if completed as per the schedule, the project would have resulted in provision of quality healthcare facilities to the people.

He directed the officials of communication and works department and NesPak to complete the project without any further delay.

“It is my mission to provide quality healthcare facilities at the doorstep of the masses and the Fatima Jinnah Dental University will provide modern treatment facilities to the patients,” he said.

Earlier, the health secretary gave a briefing on the project details.

CONCESSIONAL PACKAGE: Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Friday announced a concessional package for women and students on Orange Line Metro Train, while elderly citizens and differently-able persons would be allowed free travel.

Chairing a meeting to review the matters pertaining to Orange Line Metro Train, plying of electric buses and Lahore Waste Management Company issues at his office, the chief minister decided in principle to introduce a stage-wise fare of OLMT, while an advisory committee was also constituted to convert the train to solar energy.

The CM disclosed that the solar units would be installed at the OLMT stations and added that the electric buses pilot project would also be started in the provincial metropolis.

He said the government would provide world-class travelling facilities to the citizens in environment-friendly buses. The contract sourcing of LWMC was entrusted to an advisory committee.

Former P&D chairman Salman Ghani, former principal secretary to CM G M Sikandar, P&D chairman, Daewoo CEO, administrative secretaries of P&D, energy, finance and transport departments and other officials concerned attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2022