National monument: Punjab govt set to take over Bab-i-Pakistan construction

The project was scheduled for completion in 2009; only 30% work done so far.

LAHORE:

The Punjab government is likely to complete the remaining construction work at Bab-e-Pakistan, a national memorial at the site of Walton refugee camp, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Foundation stones had been laid twice in the past, first by prime minister Nawaz Sharif on the 44th Independence Day and by General (r) Pervez Musharraf, on August 14, 2005. The monument was scheduled to be completed by August 2009 and then postponed to March 2012.  It was on the site of the first refugee camp established for those who had migrated from Indian Punjab. Muhammad Ali Jinnah had visited the site on April 12, 1948 to express solidarity with the refugees.

In 2005, the construction cost was calculated to about Rs.2.5 billion. The Punjab government released Rs 991 million to the executing agency Pakistan Army Board of Trustees to start construction.

Bab-e-Pakistan was a brainchild of the then chief minister and a diehard Muslim Leaguer, the late Ghulam Haider Wyne which was approved by the late president Gen Ziaul Haq in a presentation in 1985 by then Punjab governor Lt-Gen Ghulam Jilani on the request of Wyne.

The design of monument which envisaged as a sleek sky-kissing geometric structure, reflected in a rectangular ornamental pool below prepared by architect Amjad Mukhtar, a National College of Arts graduate was selected after a competition among the designers. The memorial comprised a mosque, four halls including library, art gallery, museum, garden, restaurants and sport facilities were approved.

During a briefing in January 2012 presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif to review the pace of progress on Bab-e-Pakistan complex project it was informed by project director to the participants that Pakistan Army completed almost 24 percent of total construction work and the rest would be completed by March 2012.

Later, in a meeting of National Memorial Council headed by CM, it was decided to constitute a committee headed by chief secretary Punjab to takeover the possession of project for early completion as it was already delayed much. The committee did number of meetings on this issue and now Punjab government finally decided to take over this project for early completion, the official said.

During meetings, it was disclosed that executing agency has utilized Rs.840 million out of released amount Rs.991 million on project construction work and was willing to surrender Rs.150 million to Punjab government, the official said.

The information, culture department requested the chief minister in a summary to takeover the control of monument for completion in recent last month. The government intends to complete this project as early as possible, tentatively within three to four years, the official said.

The executing agency had completed construction of two schools (one each for boys and girls), installed fountains, develop parks, landscape and some structure since 2005 and remaining work would be completed by Punjab government. The government would revise PC-I keeping in view the soaring prices of construction material as it was now not possible to execute it in Rs.2.5 billion, he said.

Secretary Information Punjab Moman Agha said talks were in progress to settle the modalities of project. The department had sent a summary to chief minister with the proposal to takeover the responsibility for the execution of work at the site, Agha added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2014.