Govt land should be given to the poor: Musharraf

from The Pakistan Link

President Gen Pervez Musharraf said on Tuesday the vision and policies of the government were directed towards poverty alleviation and control on unemployment.

Speaking as the chief guest at the balloting of 4,962 plots, in Taisar Town Housing Project of the Malir Development Authority, he emphasised Sindh should have industrial estates on the pattern of the Punjab.

Due to effective economic policies, the poverty ratio has registered a 10 per cent decline, while unemployment has reduced by 1.5 to two per cent and with continuity of policies, these will register further decline in the coming years, the president said.

On the occasion, the president was given a briefing about the development of New Malir Housing Project (NMHP). “I give credit of these two projects — Taisar Town and New Malir Housing Project — to Governor Ishratul Ebad,” Musharraf said.

Musharraf said it is his firm belief that the government land should either be given to the poor through low-cost housing schemes or be brought in the use of industry. He said this would help alleviate poverty and also reduce unemployment.

He referred to the inauguration of three industrial estates in the Punjab, including Sundar, Faisalabad and M-3 value-added city industrial estates. He said the land for these estates was acquired, handed over to the private sector and a board formed for their management.

Musharraf said Sundar has emerged as a really “Sundar” (beautiful) estate with most modern infrastructure facilities. He said all the 700 plots there have been sold out and by law the allottees have to construct units in two years. Similarly, the Faisalabad Industrial Estate has 6,000 plots.

The president said that industries are now being set up there and so far 60 to 70 units have come up. He said when these units will come out of Faisalabad city, it would help improve the existing infrastructure inside the city.

He suggested that this example should also be followed in Sindh, where if land will be given to the poor, they will be benefited and this would help reduce poverty and when given to industries it would help reduce unemployment through jobs made available in new units.

He emphasised upon infrastructure development as much as possible but mainly on BOT basis. He said the money thus saved could be invested in other schemes. “Let the investors construct roads, bridges and flyovers on BOT basis and the money so saved be used on other projects of public importance, he said.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, State Minister Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain, provincial ministers and advisers, Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal, Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, DG Nadra and senior officials of Sindh government were present.