PTI leader Ejaz Chaudhary said multi billion Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project summarizes Sharif Brothers preferences for the poor segment of the society, who according to Government's own economic survey has failed to provide employment, education or health to the poor. He said the Economic survey clearly shows that Pakistan has missed all targets of GDP, agriculture, investment and tax collection. With such deficits why cause more deficit by spending on a project that only a tiny fraction of twin city would enjoy the ride at the cost of 180 million people of the country he added.
He said Sharif Brothers have wasted country???s Rs45 billion on Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project to reward their near and dear ones who have made millions from the project. He said their never-ending lust for commissions and kickbacks have ruined country???s social fabric. With their misplaced priorities they are dragging Pakistan towards Stone Age with rampant load shedding and slow economic growth as people???s life standards are continuously falling he added. He said Lahore Metro Bus has turned out to be white elephant with hefty subsidies and Metro Bus is no more viable. Now this ISB-RWP metro bus will also use major chunk of the budget to keep it running with subsidies. Punjab is not based on Lahore and Rawalpindi divisions only where Khadam e Alla is lavishly spending and who is responsible for the plight of the people of South Punjab he questioned?
PTI leader Yasmin Rashid said a poor country could not afford such a luxury where 60 percent people are living below poverty line. It is irrational to spend 45 billion on project that will eat up 2 billion annual subsidies. She said Sharif Brothers have drained people???s tax money to keep the Ittafaq foundry running. She said since PML-N came into power, the allocation for health and education has declined Sharif Brothers are diverting health and education allocation towards showy projects like Metro Bus and motorways a priority for furthering their own businesses. Sharif Brothers priorities are misplaced and the intent behind this flashy project is just vote buying and not the welfare of the people she added.
PTI leader Andleeb Abbas said the whole nation is at a loss that Sharif Brothers are investing on gimmicks projects rather then investing in humans. How shameful it is for a country, which is the second most illiterate country in the world with out-of-school children. They do not need air-conditioned Metro Bus to ride but a school where they can study she added. She said whole Status Quo yesterday was busy inaugurating Metro Bus but they have no understating that the people who will ride on these flashy buses are devoid of safe drinking water and health care facilities. She said PML-N government has confessed in Pakistan Economic Survey 2014-15 that the literacy rate has gone down by 2%. Only because education funds have been burned on useless projects like Metro Bus and flyovers she added. She said they have no money to spend on education and health but they are ready to give 4 billion annual subsidies to Lahore and Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus. Sharif Brothers and Hanif Abbasi have made millions from the project and now they have awarded a contract of Rs324 million to a firm owned by the brother of a federal minister for horticulture work alongside Metro track she added.
Media Cell
PTI Punjab