LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Rs150 billion will be spent on the Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme, the biggest project in the history of Pakistan for the construction and rehabilitation of rural roads.
He was addressing a high level meeting through video link at Civil Secretariat, on Friday. He said that project would be implemented speedily under a phased programme. He said that repair and rehabilitation work of all rural roads would be completed by January 2018. He said this mega project is of vital importance for progress of rural areas and will prove to be a game changer for rural economy.
The chief minister said that farmers and the people of villages would directly benefit from Programme which would also provide job opportunities to thousands of people.
He said that an effective system had been devised for monitoring of Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Road Programme and monitoring committees have been constituted for this purpose in all districts.
CONDOLENCE
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan went to Hoti House in Mardan on Friday and condoled the death of senior leader of Awami National Party Azam Khan Hoti with his son Amir Haider Hoti.
They offered fateha for the departed soul and also paid tributes to the political services of late Azam Khan Hoti.  The chief minister, interior minister and the KPK governor also sympathised with the bereaved family.
Talking to media, Shahbaz Sharif said that the recent visit of the Chinese President to Pakistan was historic and agreements for investment of billions of dollars were signed on this occasion. He said that no change has been made in the route of Economic Corridor.
He said that power generation projects are being started in all provinces with the cooperation of China. In reply to a question, the Chief Minister said that Pakistan is standing by Saudi Arabia. He said that Saudi Arabia is a very close friend of Pakistan and people of the two countries are bound together in strong brotherly ties.
Earlier, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan met Governor KPK Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan in Governor House Peshawar. Situation in Fata, Operation Zarb-e-Azab and overall political situation of the country was discussed in the meeting.