Assembly new building almost complete

LAHORE:Dream of Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Pervaiz Elahi about new assembly building has materialised, construction of Punjab Assembly new building is near its completion, next financial year budget will be presented in the new House.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi reviewed the construction of new building here on Friday. He was accompanied by provincial ministers Muhammad Basharat Raja and Sardar Asif Nakai, Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti, Rasikh Elahi and Communications Secretary Captain (R) Asad.

The foundation stone of the new building of the Punjab Assembly was laid on June 27, 2006 by Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, then chief minister. The project was to be completed in two years but it had been delayed during the tenure of PML-N- due to unavailability of funds and negligence for 12 years.

The Punjab Assembly's new building and the House was to cost about Rs2.37 billion but due to delay the project has been completed at a cost of Rs5.39 billion, putting burden of additional expenses of more than Rs3 billion on the provincial exchequer. After becoming Speaker of Punjab Assembly, Pervaiz Elahi took special interest in the construction of the assembly building and the project has been completed with his special efforts.

New Punjab Assembly hall is matchless in beauty. The building's beautification and calligraphic work has been completed under the supervision of National College of Arts. This is the biggest House in Asia.

The assembly floor has seating capacity for 422 MPAs and about 800 persons in the Visitors' Gallery. In the new building, there are the offices of the chief minister, Speaker, deputy speaker and opposition leader besides 38 offices for the provincial ministers, three committee rooms and office of the assembly secretary.