Rs100m okayed for construction of Bhong Interchange, govt tells SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was informed on Friday that the federal government had approved Rs100 million for the construction of Bhong Interchange at the Multan-Sukkur Motorway.

A two-member bench of the apex court, comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, heard a suo moto case on minorities rights and the petition filed by Raees Munir against the change of location for the Bhong Interchange.

During the hearing, Additional Attorney General, Rashdeen Kasuri, submitted the progress report and informed the court that the Planning Division had approved funds of Rs100 million for the construction of Bhong Interchange

The petitioner’s counsel, Sardar Raees Munir, submitted that proper funds had not been issued for the construction of Bhong Interchange.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar told the counsel that his basic complaint on the construction of interchange at the wrong site was resolved. Besides, the funds for the construction of the interchange have also been released.

Meanwhile, the court directed the petitioner to examine the report submitted by the National Highways Authority (NHA) and adjourned the hearing sine die.

Meanwhile, the same bench also took up the hearing of another case on vandalising a Hindu shrine by a mob in Karak district.

Ramesh Kumar, minority MNA, appeared before the court and submitted that the shrine had been reconstructed and restored. He further informed the court that now there was close harmony between the Muslims and Hindu community adding that on the last hearing, the court had ordered for recovery of the amount from the inhabitants of the area for damaging the temple. He submitted that the on the court’s direction, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government made some recoveries from the people living in the area who had caused damage to the temple adding that those people had also apologised to the Hindu community.

He submitted that if the court may consider it appropriate, it could stop further recoveries from the people who had damaged the temple. At this, the court stopped further recoveries from the people responsible for damaging the temple and disposed of the matter.