Development projects: Safe water promised for all in south Punjab

Hamza Shahbaz announces several projects during his visit to Uch Sharif.

BAHAWALPUR: “The provincial government has started a Rs10 billion project to provide drinking water in south Punjab,” Hamza Shahbaz said on Wednesday.

Addressing a public gathering in Uch Sharif, he said water filtration plants would be installed “everywhere in south Punjab” by the end of next year.

“We believe in serving the people and not making tall claims… the Bahawalpur Solar Park will start generating 100MW electricity in a few months,” he said.



The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader said the people of south Punjab had shown their support for PML-N by electing the party in general elections and rejecting hatred-based politics.

“We will do our best to solve people’s problems and fulfilling our promises.”

The MNA said the youth were the country’s future. He said the government was initiating an employment generating project. “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will personally visit Bahawalpur on Thursday to inaugurate this scheme.”

The PML-N leader announced the construction of a one-way road from Uch Sharif to Ahmadpur East. “A degree college for girls will be established at Channi Goth on MNA Ali Hassan Gillani’s request.”

He said Bahawalpur would be made a “model division” and he would visit Uch Sharif every two months.

Earlier MNA Gillani said Pakistan would prosper under PML-N’s leadership.

Punjab Disaster Management Authority Director General Captain (r) Muhammad Asif said Rs26.2 million had been allocated for 1,102 flood affected people in Bahawalpur and Uch Sharif.

He said the water rate had been waived in nine villages affected by the flood in Bahawalpur.

“Rs500 million has been allocated for the maintenance and reconstruction of homes destroyed by the floods.”



He said the government had distributed 125,000 food packets, 20,000 rice bags and 47,000 flour bags among the affected.

Hamza Shahbaz also distributed Rs30,000 cheques among the flood affected in Uch Sharif and Bahawalpur.

Provincial Minister Iqbal Channar, MPA Adnan Fareed Qazi, Khalid Waran, Mian Shoaib Awaisi, Fauzia Ayub Qureshi, Khalid Jajja, Saood Majeed, Zafar Gillani and Sheikh Hassan Askari were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2014.