RAWALPINDI: Minister Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has said that the country’s economic indicators are positive. Global institutes have acknowledged the improvement of the Pakistani economy. Five major institutions, including the IMF, Moody’s, World Bank, Islamic Bank, Asian Development Bank etc, praised the steps taken by the Government of Pakistan for economic stability. The Lei expressway and the ring road are important projects. The23 Kilo Meter long expressway will be constructed on the Build operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. There will be commercial centers and plazas on both sides of the expressway, chamber of commerce can join it. Mother and Child hospital is 80% complete, there will be fourteen operation theaters and it will be the largest and state of the art hospital in Pakistan.
Addressing the business community during his visit to the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and industry (RCCI) he said the country is heading towards prosperity and progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said that a new city is going to be in Rawalpindi. The minister offered Chamber to take the dry port management and his ministry will provide all assistance here. Railway is also available for cargo handling. Two new universities will be established in Rawalpindi. Railways department are now performing better. There is an increase of one crore passenger.
Later during media talk, while responding to a question, the Railway Minister said that more efforts and work was needed on the Kashmir issue because of Molana Fazlu Rehman sit-in it went offside.
To another question, he said Nawaz Sharif can go out as the culprit, so is Zardari’s right to go abroad as accused.
Responding the Bilawal Bhutto Jalsa on December 27 on martyrdom anniversary of Benezir Bhutto, he said Bilawal will be given warm welcome in Rawalpindi at anytime.
On a question on extension of the Chief of Army Staff, he said we have the simple majority however, the opposition must go along.
Earlier, president Chamber Saboor Malik demanded that the tourist train be restored from Rawalpindi to Jamrud. Dry Port should be set up in Rawalpindi and completion of the Ring Road and Lei Expressway should be on fast pace. Transfer of grain markets should be expedited and city needs more Parking plazas to address traffic congestion. Expo Center is the need of hour, and suggested that if the railway land is allotted, an expo center can be built there as well. Under the Glorious Rawalpindi project, the Chamber is already working on the city’s improvement and beauty, he added.
