‘Construction of new Punjab Assembly building to complete before next budget’

LAHORE: The next budget of the province is expected to be unveiled  in the new building of Punjab Assembly which is currently under  construction, said Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Basharat Raja.

According to the minister, Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has given special directives of the timely completion of the project.

Raja said huge funds had been allocated in the budget for the new building of the Punjab Assembly as it was need of the hour keeping in view the total seating capacity of the assembly.

He said the Punjab Assembly was the largest house in the country with 371 members and the seating arrangement was a grave issue for MPAs. “The project of the new Punjab Assembly building was launched when Pervez Elahi was the chief minister around a decade ago but the previous government did not take any interest to complete the project. “Therefore Pervez Elahi will complete the project now when he has become the PA speaker,” said Raja.

The minister has also served as a minister in the cabinet of Elahi from 2003-2007.

On Sep 7, Punjab chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had said that building of Punjab assembly is 90 years old and the number of assembly members had been increased now. He added that the existing building was facing the shortage of seating capacity.

He had made these remarks while visiting the under-construction building with Speaker Punjab assembly Ch. Pervaiz Elahi.

They were given briefing about leftover works of the under-construction building. The chief minister and speaker inspected different parts and under-construction hall.

They also visited the under-construction mosque and directed to complete the remaining work at the earliest.