The long-standing problem of running out of space for new graves in the 54 cemeteries of the garrison city and cantonment areas has been finally resolved as Minister for Environment and Parliamentary Affairs, Muhammad Basharat Raja, has inaugurated the newly established 1,000-kanal cemetery in Rakh Dhamiyal.
In the cemetery, 100 kanals of land have also been allocated for the minorities. The new cemetery in Rakh Dhamiyal was inaugurated on Sunday by the provincial minister along with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) north Punjab general secretary Amir Mehmood Kayani.
On this occasion, Basharat said that the government has fulfilled the long-standing demand of the people of Cantt and the city. “A land of 1,000 kanals has been allotted in Rakh Dhamiyal for the cemetery, in which 100 kanals of land has been allocated for the minority communities,” he said.
The four walls of the cemetery, the funeral hall, the residences of the guard and watchman, funeral van and bus for the relatives of the deceased have also been arranged, he added.
The provincial minister said that a huge amount of Rs40 million has been spent on Rakh Dhamiyal Cemetery in Rawalpindi in addition to Rs50 million for the construction of the road leading to the cemetery.
MNA Kayani has said that the long-standing problem of the people of Rawalpindi Cantt and the city has been solved. “More vehicles will be provided by the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation and Cantonment for the cemetery,” he said.
Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Member of the National Assembly Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Members Punjab Assembly, Raja Rashid Hafeez, Omer Tanveer Butt, Samuel Yaqoob, Muhammad Nasir Raja and other officials participated in the ceremony.
It should be noted that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif as Punjab Chief Minister had allocated funds of Rs200 million for the project of a cemetery on 2,000 kanals of land in Rakh Dhamiyal in the Budget 2017-18. However, because of not setting up the Rawalpindi Cemetery Authority, the funds lapsed and no progress could be made on the project.
In 2001, Rawalpindi Tehsil Nazim Hamid Nawaz Raja said that a 2,000-kanal cemetery in Rakh Dhamiyal is owned by the Rawalpindi MC in which 200 kanals are reserved for minorities.
During his tenure, the four walls, funeral hall and ablutions area of the cemetery were constructed, plotting for the graves was carried out and two buses were purchased, but the cemetery could not be made functional.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2022.
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