Multan declared Pakistan’s 9th biggest city

[Salman]

MULTAN: The Punjab government on Wednesday notified Multan big city status.
Minister for Prisons Abdul Waheed Arain told The Express Tribune the announcement had been pending for over a decade.
“Pakistan now has nine big cities,” he said.
He said the foundation stone for metro bus in Multan would be laid by the prime minister in December.
He said plans for the metro bus would be finalised by the end of this month.
He said the metro bus would be plied on two routes; from Gaddafi Square to BCG square and from Vehari Square to BCG square towards Hafiz Jamal Road.
It will then move along Bosan Road towards Bahadduin Zakariya University.
As many as 16 demonstrations were held in the city and rural areas, of which nine were by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers, thanking the government for the decision.
Multan DCO Zahid Saleem Gondal told The Express Tribune that house rent allowances of provincial and federal employees in the city would be increased from 15 per cent to 45 per cent.
He said travelling and dining allowance would also be doubled after the announcement.
He said budgets for development packages would be enhanced. He said Multan airport had been upgraded to international standards.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2014.