Sheikh Rashid concerned over fate of mega projects

[Naveed Yaseen]

Sardar Naseem claims embezzlements during previous government’s tenure led to stoppage of work

Saeed Ahmed
Former federal minister and chief of Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has expressed concern over the stoppage of work on all mega projects initiated during the tenure of previous government.

Talking to ‘The News,’ Sheikh Rashid said that he had initiated mega projects like construction of women and children’s hospital, Nullah Leh Expressway and Flood Control Plan, widening and expansion of Murree Road. However, work on all these projects have come to a standstill just because of the present government of Shahbaz Sharif in the province.

Sheikh Rashid stated that more than Rs1 billion were spent on the hospital project for women and children. However, the sitting government is not bothered at all because all the money spent on the project is going waste. “I would also like to ask the present government to change the name of Sheikh Rashid Expressway and resume the work on the project,” he added.

Sheikh said that the present government was least concerned with the problems of the masses. “The present rulers are only entangled in their own issues and are not bothered to resolve public grievances. Price hike, shortage of flour, sugar, unscheduled loadshedding are an evident of sitting government’s performance,” he said.

Meanwhile, former MPA and prominent PML-N leader Sardar Nasim while commenting over the remarks of Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said that why the mega projects were not completed during the full five-year tenure of PML-Q. He said the present governments are not responsible for abandoning the projects mentioned by Sheikh Rasheed. “Rather the truth is that lot of irregularities and corruption has been detected in the work carried out in these projects. Funds were embezzled in the name of projects. Higher estimates were prepared, just to achieve their vested interests,” Sardar Nasim claimed.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=199426