Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said that there were massive investment opportunities available for overseas Pakistanis to make safe investments in Central Business District (CBD) and Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) projects.
The prime minister, chairing a meeting to review progress on the projects, said record revenue of Rs. 57.88 billion had been generated during two auctions of commercial plots in CBD.
Appreciating the efforts of CBD team, the prime minister said the government had targeted dead capital, lying unutilized throughout the country and had converted it into sustainable revenue generating initiatives. He viewed that unplanned and unmanaged urban sprawl would affect food security where green areas were being converted to housing and commercial areas.
He said that government was adopting environment friendly approach for new urban projects to cater for residential and commercial requirements as well as preserving green areas.
The prime minister directed the Punjab government to take legal action against illegal housing societies, selling land in flood plains thereby risking the lives and investments of the general public.
Earlier, the meeting was briefed about progress of CBD and RUDA projects including Lahore’s first Downtown auctions, captive power plant construction, Chahar Bagh, Rakh Jhok National Park, RUDA Technology Park, 10,000 apartments District, dedicated for overseas Pakistanis, waste water treatment plant and other amenities.
Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Information Minister of State Farrukh Habib, SAPM Dr. Shehbaz Gill, Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing & Development Authority Lt. Gen. (R) Anwar Ali Haider and senior officers attended the meeting.
Chief Minister of Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Punjab Housing Minister Malik Asad Khokhar, Punjab Local Government Minister Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, Advisor to CM Punjab Dr. Salman Shah and senior officers joined via video link. Meanwhile, National Guard Commander of Bahrain General Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here on Thursday and discussed matters of mutual interest.
The National Guard Commander conveyed cordial greetings of the King, and the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Prime Minister Imran Khan. Highlighting the high esteem accorded to the Bahraini leadership by the government and people of Pakistan, the prime minister warmly reciprocated the sentiments. Imran Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s long-standing fraternal ties with Bahrain, rooted deep in shared faith, values and cordiality. He lauded the efforts on both sides to build an enhanced partnership and underscored the imperative of forging deeper and diverse economic, trade and investment cooperation.
Appreciating the successful measures by Bahrain against Covid-19, the prime minister thanked the Bahraini leadership for the care afforded to the Pakistani expatriates during the pandemic and urged further strengthening of the strong bond of friendship between the two countries. The National Guard Commander of Bahrain expressed his country’s firm resolve to further expand cooperation with Pakistan in diverse fields. He expressed thanks for Pakistan’s steadfast support and underlined that the two countries always stood by each other at difficult times.
He congratulated the prime minister on the designation of March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia by the United Nations (UN) as a result of a landmark resolution introduced by Pakistan, on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The prime minister said he looked forward to welcoming the King as well as the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain in Pakistan at the earliest convenience. Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy traditionally close and fraternal ties. Bilateral relations with Bahrain have been following an upward trajectory since Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain in December 2019, on the invitation of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
