Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Monday morning, inaugurated a trial run of the Islamabad Metro Bus service from Peshawar Morr to Islamabad International Airport saying that the journey of Pakistan’s progress has resumed after a four-year halt.
According to the prime minister, the project was initiated in 2017 and it was supposed to be made operational by 2018 but the work on it came to a halt when the PML-N’s government ended.
During his address at the inauguration ceremony, the PM said being the representative of the coalition government he would ensure prompt execution of the delayed or suspended projects of public importance.
He further announced that the project was a gift from the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif to the people of the capital with an objective to facilitate them through a decent transport service.
“The expenditure of this project was brought down to Rs12 billion from Rs16 billion,” PM Shehbaz said, adding that everything was available, including funds and that the only thing lacking was the spirit to work and there was no other reason for the delay in completion of this project.
PM Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his gratitude to China and Turkey for their contributions to the public transport project in Pakistan.
He mentioned that China greatly contributed to strengthening Pakistan’s economy and lauded President Xi Jinping for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
He further urged the Chinese official to convey his request to the Chinese authorities to review the Karachi Circular Railway project.
About the Service:
Speaking about the Metro Bus service, the prime minister said that in order to make the project operational immediately, 15 buses have been borrowed from the Punjab Transport Authority.
As many as 50 citizens will benefit from it on a daily basis and the project will later be extended to Rawat, he added.
The 25.6km bus route will benefit an estimated 50,000 commuters on daily basis.