National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Khawaja
Muhammad Ahsan has said that the traffic flow was a serious issue in Lahore city that can be coped with the Orange Line project.
Talking to a private news channel, he said that Lahore is a mega city
populating over 10 million people and uplifting of major cities is inevitable for the country’s overall development.
Ahsan said Metro Bus is also running successfully, providing cozy
travelling facility to two and a half lacs commuters on daily basis.
“Metro Bus helped in reducing vernacular traffic at Ferozpur corridor,
which used to omit carbon gas and to pollute the environment”, he added.
He said Orange Line Train will also provide travelling facility to
approximately five lacs people daily. The project is a joint arrangement by
Pakistani and Chinese governments for the welfare of Pakistani people, so that it should not be made controversial by anyone.
He said the affected residents have rendered an unprecedented
sacrifice through leaving their forefather’s land and the government profoundly acknowledges their sacrifices.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has already approved Rs 1.8
billion grant for compensation of the affected people. The government is providing the victims Rs. 1 million compensation each, he added.
He said the government has never disturbed budget of other sectors
like health, as the project is being funded by Chinese Axiom Bank.
To a question, he said that a delegation of UNESCO is arriving on
February 23 in Lahore, which would be briefed and its reservations would be addressed by the government.
He said the opponents should keep in mind poor conditions of the
historical buildings before coming out for their preservation, as majority of them have been deserted and the previous government had approved Green Line project with $2.14 billion while PML-N government signed it with China with a cost of $1.7 billion.
He said latest researches have proved all under-ground transport
system as unhealthy, creating skin-related diseases among people and the cost of under- ground is three times more than the above-ground project.
He mentioned that the government will not even touch any heritage
building while damaging it is a far away step for it. The government has already stopped working on the project in areas the court has issued stay orders for, he added.