Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmed informed the House while responding to a calling attention notice of Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Asad Umar and others regarding delay in completion of new Islamabad Airport escalating cost from Rs 35 billion to Rs.85 billion causing concern amongst the public.
The minister said there was unnecessary delay in executing the project in the previous government due to various reasons and that was why its cost was escalated. He added that late appointment of the design consultant and issue in purchase of land caused delay in the project.
He, however, said the present government after coming into power has given priority to this national project, where construction work is going on at full pace and the Prime Minister and members of the parliamentary standing committees have visited site of the project and directed the authority concerned to complete it within time.
To a question about implementing order of the high court regarding fixing of land price at Rs. 450,000 per kanal, the minister told the House that now the Supreme Court has given its direction in this regard and as soon as its report comes it will be presented in the House.