Shahbaz Sharif distributing laptop at Islamia University, Bahawalpur.
RAHIM YAR KHAN/ BAHAWALPUR:
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday said his government had spent Rs1,100 billion in five years to promote education in the province.
The establishment of Danish Schools, distribution of laptops and solar lamps among top students, providing scholarships to deserving students and internship programmes were all steps towards securing the future of the youth, Sharif said at the laptop distribution ceremony at Bahawalpur’s Islamia University.
Laptops were distributed among 4,300 students. Sharif said he was proud to have served the province’s youth and he hoped they would bring about a positive change. “I expect that these facilities will be used to serve the nation and bring about progress and prosperity,” he said. Sharif said the government would build a housing colony for the university’s staff as well.
The chief minister next inaugurated the second biggest Drug Testing Laboratory in the province.
The laboratory’s director, Munawar Hayat, told Sharif that only Rs22 million out of a budget of Rs47 million had been released for it so far. The project’s budget was had been down to Rs35 million without justification, said Hayat. Sharif ordered release of the remaining amount.
He also inaugurated the Aashiyana Housing Scheme near Model Town-A, and performed its ground-breaking ceremony.
At the inauguration of the newly constructed 410-bed Civil Hospital at Jhangiwala Road, Sharif addressed a crowd of barely 1,000 people among 10,000 empty chairs.
One of the reasons given for the low turnout was that the chief minister was scheduled to address the hospital inauguration ceremony at 11am, but reached there at 3pm.
Sharif appeared disappointed by the smattering of an audience and addressed them for 90 seconds only. He asked people to vote for PML-N. Zardari, Sharif said, had stolen from the national exchequer and brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy.
The chief minister next went to Rahim Yar Khan to inaugurate six development projects completed with cooperation from the United Arab Emirates.
UAE’s Ambassador to Pakistan Esa Abdullah Al Basha Al Noami was also present at the ceremony.
The development projects include Allama Iqbal Open University Road, Chaudhry Hidayat Ullah Campus, Shaikh Khalifa Auditorium, Shaikh Khalifa Public School, Shaikh Khalifa Health Care Centre, Shaikh Khalifa School of Allied Health Sciences, Shaikh Khalifa Bridge Dari Sanghi Chowk, the broadening of a road from Shaikh Khalifa Chowk Dari Sanghi to the Shaikh Zayed Palace, Shaikh Khalifa Sports Complex and Stadium, Shaikh Khalifa Vocational Training Institute, a family park and a mega sewerage project.
Ambassador Abdullah said UAE President Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan had given the go ahead to continue development work. He said more projects would be initiated in the near future.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2013.
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Allah bless Shehbaz Sharif. All my prayers for him. He is really a great man. I love him. May give him health and long life. He has done many good works for South Punjab.
he was proud to have served the province :)