Source: The News

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Armed clashes between the security forces and Taliban in the scenic Swat valley have been causing continuous migration of the local people to the twin cities. Many of them these days are seen knocking at the doors in search of vacant houses especially in Ghauri Town, Pirwadhai, Khanna and Bhara Kahu. With number of migrants increasing continuously, the local owners seem to be conscious over whereabouts of the migrants and most of them are rejecting the offers by property dealers to avoid any kind of complications, which may prop up while giving their houses to unknown people. “Many property dealers have so far contacted me for a vacant portion of my house, but I am still reluctant to accommodate unknown people belonging to the Swat valley,” said Fakharuddin, a resident of Asghar Mall scheme. He said every one is conscious now-a-days because there are so many complications in providing houses on rent to unknown people keeping in view the uncertain law and order situation of the country.

The housing shortage and reluctance on the part of the local owners are increasing the miseries of the internally displaced persons who have left their property and livelihood to lead a peaceful life away from their troubled hometowns.

The property dealers who are trying their best to find out residential units for internally displaced families are of the view that local owners must realise the sufferings of their fellow countrymen otherwise there is no alternative residential arrangements to these displaced people.

“Most of the owners are either refusing to provide residential units or demanding unjust rents, which is quite regretful because we must show some kind of courtesy to people who have lost their property and even source of livelihood,” said Inayat Hussain, a property dealer in Satellite Town.

The outskirts of the twin cities are becoming the target of the migrants, but availability of limited number of residential units there is not serving the purpose.

“Whenever I return back from my office, I see number of families making rounds in the area to get houses on rent, but I don’t think there are enough houses to accommodate all of them,” said Shahid Raja, a resident of Ghauri Town. There is a dire need to set up temporary shelters or tentage villages in the twin cities for thousands of internally displaced people who are looking for help by the concerned authorities.

Various non-governmental organisations are also highlighting the issues confronting these people and a documentary prepared by Samar Minallah titled ‘Homeless at Home’ some time back was a remarkable effort to let other people know about the plight of the internally displaced people.

When contacted, Rawalpindi District Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas told ‘The News’ that there is no plan to set up any tentage village for internally displaced people, arguing that they can easily take shelter at the houses of their near and dear ones. “But when we see the plight of these people who are struggling in severe weather conditions then it is certainly difficult to believe that all of them have their near and dear ones in the twin cities who can provide them shelter.”

The concerned authorities must show some kind of active approach instead of relying on the ‘hypothesis’ that all is well when all is certainly not well.

Sorce: The News

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Sources told Daily Times on Monday that the feasibility study would be started in March and completed within five months. Three firms have been short-listed for the feasibility that would be contracted out to the successful firm within next two weeks.

The firm would be asked to also conduct feasibility on the Economic Zone along Ring Road to promote and encourage industrial growth. The Punjab government has allocated Rs20 million for the feasibility studies on Ring Road and Economic Zone.

Around 1,084 acres would be purchased for construction of road and another 1,050 acres for the Economic Zone. Each affected person or family would get half kanal land in the Economic Zone in compensation for every four kanals.

Project history: The project, approved by the PML-N government in the Punjab in 1998, was awarded to an Australian company but it could not be launched due to the Oct 18, 1999 military coup.

The firm had the first design of the four-land Ring Road in hand but continuous delay allowed massive constructions in the project area.

The sources said that there was a growing awareness among the Pindi residents that any further delay in the launch of the project would worsen the city’s traffic problem leading to a virtual jamming of traffic on almost all roads.

According to a traffic study conducted by RDA, around 0.2 million vehicles with around 0.8 million commuters on board will not have to pass through the traffic jungle on Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Road, Airport Road and IJ Principal Road after the completion of the project. The road would provide over 1.50 million people with an easy access to Islamabad and New Islamabad Airport.

It would also contribute towards minimizing environmental degradation and cutting down consumption of fuel most of which goes down the drain while standing in never-ending traffic snarls. aamir yasin

Sorce: Daily Times.

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“Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif in a meeting with MNAs and MPAs of Rawalpindi Tuesday has approved construction of a campus for Rawalpindi Medical College, a separate Cardiac Institute and a separate Urology Institute along with establishment of a burn centre at Holy Family Hospital and a children ward at District Headquarters Hospital,” said PML-N MNA Muhammad Hanif Abbasi while talking to ‘The News’ Wednesday adding the projects could be termed the biggest initiative of the provincial government in health sector.

MNAs Hanif Abbasi and Haji Pervez along with MPAs Shehryar Riaz, Ziaullah Shah and Sarfraz Afzal attended the meeting. Provincial Health Secretary Dr Anwar Ahmed Khan was also present in the meting.

“The CM has approved construction of a campus for RMC on a piece of land measuring nearly 500 acres along Adyala Road,” said Hanif Abbasi adding construction of a 250 bedded separate Cardiac Institute on a piece of land measuring 44 kanals along Rawal Road has also been approved.

“PC-I of the planned cardiac institute has already been prepared,” said Abbasi adding the establishment of cardiac institute would cost Rs280 crore.

He added that the approved burn unit having capacity of 30 beds would be established at Holy Family Hospital. “However PC-I of the burn unit has not been prepared as yet,” he said.

The Urology Institute would be established in Dhoke Elahi Buksh on a place presently acquired by a veterinary hospital. “The CM has directed to submit PC-I of the urology institute within 10 days,” said Hanif Abbasi adding the approved children ward would be established at District Headquarters Hospital that has been facing problem of shortage of space for decades.

To a query, Hanif Abbasi said the CM has also directed the concerned departments to take necessary steps to hand over a piece of land presently acquired by the Rose Cinema to DHQ Hospital for establishment of children ward there. It is important that the matter of handing over Rose Cinema land to the hospital is pending in the court at present.

The DHQ Hospital chief Dr Khalid Iqbal Malik, when contacted by ‘The News’ Wednesday, said the gynaecology ward of the DHQ Hospital has also been facing acute shortage of space for long and the hospital has no other option but to keep two to three women patients both with antenatal (before giving birth to babies) and postnatal complications on a single bed and chances of infection from one patient to others cannot be ruled out there.

He said the hospital that was established in 1981 has no paediatrics, orthopaedic and urology wards. “If the Rose Cinema land is given to us, we will establish an orthopaedic ward, urology ward and extension of existing gynaecology ward there.”

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=156218

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The committee headed by MNA Haji Pervaiz Khan and MPA Sheharyar Khan evaluated the loss after a survey and negotiations with the affected traders of the plaza. The committee in-charge, Haji Pervaiz Khan, disclosed this during a meeting with Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Syed Asad Mashadi here Friday.

Haji Pervaiz said that the report of the total loss, assessed by the committee, has been submitted to the Punjab government for efforts to compensate the affected traders. On the occasion, the RCCI President Asad Mashadi demanded of the Punjab government to direct the Punjab Banks to provide loans to the traders affected by Gakhar Plaza collapse and the interests of the loans be paid by the provincial government.

Similarly, the federal government should also issue directions to the related banks to waive off two years installments on loans borrowed by the Gakhar Plaza traders. These steps could result in the rehabilitation of the affected traders and they would be in a position to re establishment their business. Syed Mashadi told the committee members that he would along with a delegation of traders would soon hold a meeting with the minister of commerce.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=155358

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According to a survey conducted by ‘The News’ the most serious situation of the electricity wires was witnessed at mega shopping malls and some multi-storey shopping plazas of the city.

The owners of these plazas who have spent millions of rupees on the construction of these plazas are least bothered about the dangling electricity wires.

The electricity wiring of a shopping plaza situated at the College Road is in a pathetic condition.

A shopkeeper Asim told ‘The News’, “The main electricity supply box remains opened and in rain we often see sparks and flames emanating from this box, which also leads to the suspension of power supply of the whole plaza.”

Talking to ‘The News’ Hussain Shah, owner of the plaza said, “All the plazas at this road have same electricity system, where the main supply boxes are placed openly, it is the responsibility of the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) to replace these faulty systems at a safe corner.”

An electrical engineer Shehzad Khan said, “The electricity wiring is one of

the toughest job for an electrician, but

unfortunately here in our country every person who is associated with the electricity business calls himself an electrician.”

“The authorities are not paying heed towards the situation because there is no process to check the wire quality and other issues related to the electricity wiring,” he added.

However, Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO), Irfan Saleem Butt said, “We are inspecting all the plazas where wiring is open or in poor state. Notices will be issued to the owners of all such plazas in next couple of days.”

Iesco Director operation Yousaf Awan said, “The electricity wiring of commercial and residential plazas is inspected by an electricity inspector just after the construction of the plaza.”

“However the Iesco responsibility is only from the wire, which is connected with electricity pole to the meters. Whereas the state of electricity from meters onwards is the responsibility of the plaza or house owner,” he added.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=154775

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The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) after dismissal of case against it has finally got approved the plan of converting the Odeon Cinema into multi-storey shopping centre-cum-public library to generate revenue.

This was stated by RCB Chief Executive Officer Shahid Bashir while talking to ‘The News’ here Tuesday.

He said the RCB has also decided to convert another REX Cinema into shopping plaza to generate funds. The work on this project has already been initiated. The work on it would be completed by the start of the next fiscal year i.e.2009-2010. The REX Cinema situated in Westridge.

About the Odeon Cinema, the CEO said that the RCB has succeeded to get dismissal of the case filed by the owner against it. “Now we have prepared a plan to convert the cinema into multi-storey shopping centre-cum-public library, besides a big auditorium. According to estimates the over all cost of the project will be Rs200 million and it would be completed in a six-month time.

The CEO said that the Board has also plan to open another CINEPAX cinema to provide leisure and entertainment to the public. The project is under process and work on it would be started at the start of the next fiscal year.

It merits mentioning here that the idea of converting the Odeon Cinema into shopping centre-cum-public library was floated by the then CEO Mir Iftikhar Ahmed some six years ago, which was rejected by the then concerned authorities in the Ministry of Defence.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=154776

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