It is probably after a long time that an international financial institution of the stature of World Bank has praised the timely utilisation of funds and completion of projects on schedule by the Punjab government. World Bank Country Director Rasheed bin Masood declared Punjab a role model for other provinces to follow since, it maintains, the government here had shown a praiseworthy performance of transparent completion of uplift schemes. Keeping this record in view, Mr Masood said that the World Bank would continue to cooperate with the Punjab government and provide it with funds required for timely completion of projects. It is noteworthy that work is in progress on 10 mega projects.
The credit for earning this appreciation goes to the Chief Minister who is taking keen interest in development projects and is monitoring work, to the extent of surprise visits to the projects in hand. Pakistan’s credibility has been a serious problem that has led to the stoppage of support from international financial institutions and causing a sharp decline in foreign investment. It is time the federal as well as provincial governments chalked out a strategy to eliminate corruption and inefficiency. They must hire highly skilled and dedicated workforce to work on projects of vital national importance. Once credibility is restored, funds would start flowing in helping the on-going uplift projects to complete and launching new ones. That would help reduce the current alarming unemployment.