CM to lay Ashiana Iqbal foundation on March 23


LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif has said that the foundation stone of Ashiana Iqbal on Burki Road will be laid on March 23, adding that the scheme will not only consist of five, seven and 10 marla houses, but would also bear apartments for the residents. Similar to the Ashiana Housing Scheme (AHS) constructed at Saroba Attari, Ashiana Iqbal will provide thousands of houses equipped with modern facilities to the underprivileged.

The CM said this while presiding over a meeting held to discuss the Ashiana Iqbal project on Sunday. Punjab Land Development Company Chairman Sheikh Alauddin, The Planning & Development chairman, Board of Revenue senior member, the Lahore DCO and officers concerned were also present on the occasion. PLDC Chief Executive Officer Momin Agha gave a detailed briefing about the Ashiana Iqbal project.

Talking on the occasion, Shahbaz said that the Punjab government had fulfilled the dream of labourers, poor, orphans, and widows with regards to having their own houses.

He said that tall claims for welfare of the poor were made during the last 64 years, however, no practical steps had been taken to fulfil those claims. He added that credit for providing shelter to the poor went to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) through introduction of the AHS.

Shahbaz said that the poor had as much right over national resources as the elite, hence, modern facilities, better than those found in the colonies of elite, were being provided in the AHS houses. He said that best land had been selected for Ashiana Iqbal on Burki Road. Giving details of the housing scheme, he said that in addition to other facilities, a bus terminal, medical college, university and technical educational institute would also be established in the area.

He directed the Lahore DCO to immediately start construction work on Link Road for Ashiana Iqbal, adding that a police kiosk should also be set up there.

He said as per policy of the Punjab government, this project would also be unique with regards to quality and transparency. The CM also gave directions for release of funds worth Rs 200 million, adding that special attention be given to the selection of contractors for the project. He said their qualification should be checked beforehand and only contractors having considerable prior experience and devotion should be selected.

Punjab Land Development Company Chairman Sheikh Alauddin said that work on the extension project of AHS at Saroba Attari had been started and 40,000 applications had been received for houses uptil now, which reflected the confidence people had in these projects.

Earlier during the day, the CM visited various parks constructed near Allama Iqbal International Airport. He directed that steps should be taken expeditiously for making the parks adjacent to airport more beautiful. He said that maximum fruit trees should be planted in the two parks spread over 117 acres adjacent to the airport.

Separately, while talking to the media after the inauguration ceremony of a hockey ground and gymnasium in Model Town, the CM said that the government was pursuing a comprehensive programme for the promotion of sports and a network of sports grounds was being laid across the province. The CM also gave directions for immediate laying down of astroturf in the newly constructed hockey ground in Model Town.

MNAs and MPAs Umer Sohail Zia Butt, Naseer Ahmad Bhutta, Zaeem Qadri, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Pakistan Hockey Federation Chairman Qasim Zia, several players and a large number of people were also present during the inauguration ceremony.