SHEIKHUPURA, May 10: President Pervez Musharraf will soon lay the foundation stone of the Kalabagh dam to overcome the shortage of electricity.

This was stated by Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi while speaking at the PML workers’ convention at the Services Club ground here on Wednesday.

The convention was participated in by a large number of workers and leaders, including District Nazim Sahibzada Mian Jalil Ahmed Sharqpuri, Naib Nazim Malik Rehmat Ali Dogar, tehsil nazims, MNAs, MPAs, PML district president Dr Saleem, UC nazims, naib nazims and councillors.

He said the PML government had so far provided more than Rs3 billion special grant for carrying out development projects in the Sheikhupura district.

Two tehsil headquarters hospitals in Sharqpur Sharif and Ferozewala would soon be constructed as part of the Punjab Health Programme, he said.

Pervaiz Elahi also announced the laying of an astroturf in the Sheikhupura hockey stadium as the district had produced a good number of Olympians.

He said an overhead bridge on Sheikhupura-Gujranwala Road at the railway crossing and two underpasses on Lahore-Sargodha Road would also be constructed.

The work on a dual-carriageway from Lahore to Jaranwala would also be taken in hand soon while other various roads, including Sheikhupura-Sharqpur Road, Shahdara-Narang Road via Kala Khatai, would be constructed and widened, he said.

On the demand of local journalists, the chief minister announced Rs1 million special grant for the Press Club and also pledged to allot the land for the journalists colony.

He said the proprietary rights to 600 shopkeepers of the Landa Bazaar would be given after completing legal formalities. The demarcation of Sheikhupura and the new Nankana district would be finalised according to wishes of the people and with the consent of elected representatives of these areas.

Over a concern raised by a group of people about the status of Sharqpur tehsil, the chief minister assured them that there was no such proposal to withdraw its tehsil status.

After the satisfactory performance of 250 patrol posts established in the province, he disclosed that as many patrol posts would further be established by 2007 to provide safety to road users and bring down the crime rate sufficiently. The chief minister announced that an additional grant of Rs5 million would be given to union councils for making a maximum number of PML membership.

Later, the chief minister laid the foundation stone of a trauma centre at the DHQ Hospital which would be completed at a cost of Rs60 million.

Earlier, Pervaiz Elahi met delegations of parliamentarians, nazims, lawyers, traders and PML office-bearers and workers at the Canal Rest House.