Government committed to completing public welfare projects via private investment: Hasaan Khawar

LAHORE:  Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information and Spokesperson to the Punjab Government Hasaan Khawar has said that installation of water meters in Lahore under public-private partnership with a consortium of three Chinese companies will not only reduce the rapidly declining water table in Lahore, but will also result in reduction of water bills for consumers, containment of leakages, and will save about Rs. 46 crore of WASA electricity bills. “We are committed to completing public welfare projects through private investment and sparing public resources only where it is needed the most”, SACM said. These views were expressed by Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab Hasaan Khawar while talking to media at the office of Punjab Public Private Partnership Authority here yesterday. Vice Chairman WASA Sheikh Imtiaz and CEO Punjab Public Private Partnership Authority Amjad Awan were also present on the occasion. Hasaan Khawar said that, under public-private partnership, several projects worth Rs. 191 billion are in the pipeline in Punjab. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, the government has introduced measures to facilitate private investors in Punjab through Investment Facilitation Center, Special Economic Zones and zero NOC regime, which were previously thought of only in developed countries. Responding to questions from media persons on the occasion, he said that the opposition had for the last several decades garnered ‘dictatorship’ in the name of democracy in which there was no room for dissent. He further said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was the first democratic party which promoted self-accountability and spoke openly on ideas and issues instead of individuals. Responding to a question, Hasaan Khawar said that the government would not allow the “horse trading market” in the country like the nineties. He also said that the previous rulers had left dilapidated government dispensaries for masses while themselves were getting treatment from London. Prime Minister Imran Khan gave a revolutionary gift like health card to the people. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s welfare thinking is behind the initiatives like construction of Bhasha, Dasu and Mohmand dams in the country, Ehsaas program, Ehsas Ration programs. He further said that Aleem Khan and Jahangir Tareen were and still stand with PTI.