PTI delayed Orange Train project: Hassaan

LAHORE: The Steering Committee for Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) Project Chairman Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan has said the project would have been fully functional if there had been no obstructionism of PTI.

Talking to the media at the completion of the OLMT train station number 18 Salahuddin Station at Scheme Morr on Multan Road, Khawaja Hassaan, who is also adviser to Punjab chief minister, said the pace and quality of the work on OLMT had been unprecedented in the history of the country.

Despite the unwarranted delays, over 90 percent civil works of the project has been completed. He said that the vision of the chief minister and his personal involvement at every stage of the project had made the development possible. Khawaja Hassaan said that creating hurdles in the way of public welfare projects was the greatest sin of a politician or a political party as the people were the eventual victims of such obstructionist actions.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has also dented the exchequers’ pocket with the overrun costs due o the delays, he alleged. Meanwhile, at the station there were certain contractors who had put up banners and displayed placards demanding speedy reimbursement of their dues.

Responding to a question regarding these issues, Khawaja Hassan said that the payment methods were all transparent and in accordance with the due procedure. He said the pubic money was used only after quality and progress evaluation of the work done strictly on merit.

Social harmony: Punjab Minister for Labour and Human Resource Raja Ashfaq Sarwar Wednesday said welfare projects of PML-N have not been communicated as effectively as they should have been.

Raja Ashfaq was addressing a farewell-cum-iftar dinner hosted by the department. He said the public friendly policies of one government should not be trashed by the following governments. Consistency of a policy is vital for social and economic growth of country.

Quoting Rescue-1122, he said the PML-N government carried this initiative forward and expanded it which had served millions in the province. “The country is in dire need of not just political stability but social harmony for which development of civic sense and democratic attitude is crucial among the polity,” he added. The minister awarded shields and souvenirs to the officials of the department and thanked them for their services.

Transfers, postings: The Punjab government has issued notification for transfer and posting of nine officers on Wednesday. According to the notification, Additional Secretary, Public Prosecutions, Ejaz Ahmed has been transferred and posted as Director, Finance Punjab Curriculum Textbook Board, Deputy Secretary, Admin Punjab Governor Secretariat, Zubair Waheed as Additional Secretary Governor Secretariat, Additional Secretary, Information, Saman Rai as Executive Director Arts Council, Akhtar Abbas (awaiting posting) as Additional Secretary Information and Culture, Mohsin Abbas Shakir (awaiting posting) as Additional Secretary Special Health Care and Medical Education Punjab and Director LDA Muhammad Usman as Deputy Secretary Energy.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hameed Khan Sumbal Additional Deputy Commissioner General Khushab and Tauqeer Ahmed Joint Registrar Cooperative Society Lahore have been made OSD and directed to report the S&GAD.

Notification regarding retirement of Muhammad Iqbal, Additional Deputy Commissioner Bahawalnagar, has also been issued and he would retire from government service on October 7, 2018.