Construction of project, meant for 2,000 students and 300 staff, hit by paucity of funds

KHANPUR: Development of the only cadet college in South Punjab remains incomplete due to delays and lack of funds provided by the government. As a result, contractors have abandoned work which is still in progress.

The project has received only Rs300 million in funds despite the approval of a Rs1 billion budget by the former government, Express News has learnt. Approval to construct the only cadet college for Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan was given by former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani during the Pakistan Peoples Party tenure in 2008.

The plan for the college was approved after extensive efforts by local MPA Mian Muhammad Aslam and MNA Mian Abdul Sattar. Land was also provided after hectic efforts as influential politicians and their families were unwilling to vacate encroached land belonging to the Auqaf department.

However, after a long struggle, the then assistant commissioner Chaudhry Abdul Ghaffar ultimately reclaimed the land from close relatives of a former MPA. The 250 acre land originally belonged to a renowned Saraiki poet Khwaja Ghulam Farid and subsequently entitled to the Auqaf department. The department was later given alternate land of 300 acres in Cholistan.

After the land was reclaimed, development work kicked off on the only cadet college for the deprived region, bringing immense excitement and hope for locals.

Sources said the college had a planned initial capacity of 2,000 students and more than 300 academic and administrative staff members. Mian Muhammad Aslam said former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gillani had ensured the transfer of Rs500 million to the chief secretary of Punjab.

However, the provincial government has been against the development of the project since. Authorities showed reluctance in transferring funds at the district level.

Ultimately, he added the money was sent back to federal accounts. The project was scheduled to be completed within three years.

However, the PPP government completed its term soon after the work on the construction of the cadet college commenced. Sources revealed that PML-N MNA Shaikh Fayyazuddin got Rs1 billion funds reapproved after extensive time and efforts. Of the entitled amount,

Rs300 million were transferred at the district level. The work on the said project started late after the transfer of funds, but before it could be completed, the PML-N government’s tenure ended.

In the caretaker government that followed, the contractors were asked to continue work on the site and were promised that their funds will be provided.

While speaking to Express News, one of the contractors, Owais Butt, said that they have suspended construction work of the project. “Only one of the promised installments has been paid, so far, after which there has been no payments,” he bemoaned.

He added that he has not received a single penny since the PTI government came into power. “I wish to continue the work, but the lack of funds means this could not happen,” he maintained.

Meanwhile, the stoppage of work will add further delays to the revolutionary project meant for developing South Punjab, especially Rahim Yar Khan.