Political Games: Gymnasium funds still not released

MULTAN: The only available gymnasium in the Bahawalnagar district has been deprived of funds after MPA Shaukat Basra left the government and joined the opposition. The gymnasium project valued at Rs70 million has only been allocated Rs7 million so far and the building has been left in jeopardy. Locals in the area said that the site was overrun with sewage water and was spreading disease.  Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Basra left the coalition with the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) in the Punjab assembly and now sits in the opposition. The project was inaugurated by chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and now there is no one to oversee the project. Residents in the area said that the Punjab government had squandered the money and all the materials for the gymnasium were going to waste.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2011.