Orange Line Metro Train project: $3 billion cost and annual subsidy of Rs 15 billion, a gift from PMLN government

Orange Line Metro Train project: $3 billion cost and annual subsidy of Rs 15 billion, a gift from PMLN government

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Monday lambasted the previous government of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), for lavish spending on mega projects including Orange Line train. Expressing dismay over using three billion dollars for Orange Line train, in a private news channel programe, the minister said that there was still need to spend 15 to 18 billion rupees for running the train project for the people of Lahore. The information minister said the former prime minister of PML-N, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, had left over the debt of 157 billion rupees in the gas sector. Decrying over the weak economic policies of the last PML-N regime, he said the present government had to bear the burden of heavy interest being paid on the massive borrowing taken by the PML-N government during the period of 2013 to 2018. In replying to a question about health cards system, he said this was the credit of the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI), government who had introduced the health cards for the poor people of the country. Fawad Hussain added that the people of low income group living in any part of the country could equally benefit of health insurance scheme. To a question about credentials of chief minister Punjab, he said that member provincial assemblies had selected him for running the affairs in the province.

He added that the chief minister was making best efforts for resolving the problems of the people of the area. To another question, the minister said that PML-N should avoid comparing his leader Nawaz Sharif with Imran Khan. Leader of PTI government, Imran Khan was performing well at all forums, he added. - APP