Health, education top priorities of govt, says Shahbaz

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* CM says work should start on improvement of road alongside canal

* Directs commissioner to start Bhatta Chowk extention

LAHORE: Ambassador of Switzerland in Pakistan Christoph Bubb called on Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday to discuss matters of mutual interest and cooperation in various sectors. Provincial Minister for Food Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, Member Provincial Assembly Dr Saeed Elahi, Planning and Development Chairman Javed Aslam and Honourary Consul General Suleman Khan were also present on the occasion.

Talking to the Swiss ambassador, the CM said that Switzerland was a friendly country and relations between the two countries were strengthening with the passage of time. He said that the people of Pakistan were grateful to Switzerland for their cooperation in development of various sectors. Talking about progress of the province and the provision of basic amenities to the people, the CM said that the law and order, provision of health and educational facilities were the top priorities of the government and solid measures were being taken in this regard. He said besides the setting up of IT labs and Punjab Educational Endowment Fund in the Education Sector, Danish schools had been established for providing quality educational facilities to the deprived children of backward areas. He said that the setting up of these schools would not only result in equipping the students of far-flung areas with modern knowledge but new vistas would also open for the development of these areas. He said that mobile health units had been provided for the provision of quality medical facilities to the people of remote areas at their doorstep and a large number of people were benefiting from these health units.

Separately, Shahbaz presiding over a meeting on Friday, decided to immediately start work for the extension of Bhatta Chowk and improvement of Lahore Canal Road projects.

Addressing the meeting, the CM said that due to the increasing pressure of traffic on The Canal, citizens have to face a lot of problems and sometimes traffic remains jammed. He observed that the road was in a dilapidated condition, which in itself was the cause of hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic. He said that work should immediately start on the improvement of The Canal, which should be widened making use of the available spaces without cutting trees. He also suggested the construction of bus stops on the road. He said that a plan should immediately be evolved for the improvement of the road. He directed the Lahore division commissioner to immediately start the extension work on Bhatta Chowk and said that after settling all necessary matters in that regard, the project should be handed over to the National Logistic Cell within the next 15 days, for construction and extension purpose.

Earlier, Lahore Transport Company Chairman Ahmed Hassaan and City Traffic Officer Captain ® Ahmed Mubin informed the meeting about the dilapidated condition of the Canal Road.