LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said that people had expressed trust in the metro bus, as more than one lakh eight thousand passengers had travelled in metro buses, within few days, due to which critics had now been silenced.
The CM was presiding over a meeting regarding operational matters of metro buses.
He said that those who were criticizing the project want to hide their own incompetence, loot and plunder. He said no one can raise a finger as metro bus project was the best example of transparency and good governance.
Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Special Assistant Zaeem Hussain Qadri, MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, Chairman Lahore Transport Company Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan, Members Assembly Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmad, Hafiz Mian Muhammad Nauman, Ramzan Siddique Bhatti, MD Punjab Metro Bus Authority, Secretary Home, Acting Inspector General Police, Punjab, Commissioner Lahore Division, Secretary Information, DG LDA and other concerned officers were present in the meeting. During the meeting a detailed briefing was given to CM about operational matters.
The CM said that the metro bus project was completed in a record period and, by working day and night, the contractors, labourers and government institutions had made unique history by accomplishing an impossible task within a short period of eleven months. He said that the Almighty always gives opportunity to serve the people, if intentions are good. He said more buses were being imported from Turkey for state-of-the-art metro bus system, so that a large number of passengers could travel on it. He said that the metro bus system had introduced a comfortable and modern transport culture while passengers were observing discipline, due to effective awareness campaign. He said that a code of ethic for passengers had also been formulated, while new positive tendencies were being generated, due to modern and comfortable transport culture, putting Pakistan at par with the developed nations. He said that the e-card system had been introduced at bus stations, while 30 thousand cards were being offered for sale, whereas 30 thousand more cards would soon be made available. The CM directed that e-cards should be quickly manufactured in view of increasing number of travelers, while its number should be further enhanced. He said metro bus system was an asset for the present and coming generations, while Punjab government would continue to take steps to provide maximum facilities to the citizens. The CM directed that sanitation arrangements at metro bus route to be further improved, while guidelines for passengers, inside the buses, regarding maintaining cleanliness, should also be installed, in order to raise their awareness.