RAWALPINDI, Mar 30 (APP): Federal Interior Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Tuesday invited the opposition to come and sit in the National Assembly (NA) to resolve the issues because the problems could never be resolved on the roads.
Addressing an oath taking ceremony of New Central Sarafa Bazaar Union, the minister said, the opposition should sit with the government and bring reforms in at least key areas.
“I ask the opposition to come and sit in the National Assembly to resolve the issues. We can introduce electronic voting machines so that the loser and winner can accept the result.
We can disagree with each other in the National Assembly as an ultimate forum to discuss issues is National Assembly. No problem can be resolved on the roads,” he added.
He further said, Nullah Lai Expressway would change fate of the city and commercial and multi-storey buildings could be constructed along both sides the Nullah Lai Expressway.
“There is no land mafia in Rawalpindi city and if any, I will not spare them,” the minister said.
He asked the traders to form a committee to present their demands to the Prime Minister. “I will arrange a meeting of the traders with the Prime Minister. We are making all out efforts to create a business conducive environment as if the businesses will flourish, the country will become prosperous.”
The minister said that he had started the public service journey by establishing schools, colleges, and universities particularly in middle-class areas in Rawalpindi.
“When we started to focus education field, the city was at 37th position in Pakistan, but, now we are at first position in women education,” he added.
He said that efforts were being made for up-gradation of the Government Viqar un-Nisa Postgraduate College to the status of university. Rawalpindi would be first city of Pakistan with three women universities, he added.
He said nobody could defeat daughters of Rawalpindi because they were getting higher education from the colleges and universities provided by the government.
Sheikh Rasheed informed, “We established girls colleges in 12 ‘Dhokes’ of the city.”
The Minister said the Lai Expressway project would also be executed and it was his utmost effort. The project would change map of the city. A water treatment plant would also be constructed at Nullah Lai, he added.
Sheikh Rasheed said, the affectees of Nullah Lai project would be compensated as per the current market rate.
The minister informed that the contract of Rawalpindi Ring Road project was going to be awarded.
He said, Prime Minister Imran Khan was making all out efforts to put the country on the right track.
He said the government was striving to check inflation and unemployment.
He said that solid steps were being taken to resolve basic issues regarding the supply of clean drinking water, provision of standard education, and improved healthcare facilities for which maximum resources were being utilized.
On the occasion, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Narcotics, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq also spoke and informed that the government was spending Rs 100 million on different projects in Sarafa Bazaar, adding, a food street would be set up in Bhabra bazaar.