Beautification of Lahore: agreement with Turkey to promote economic ties, says chief minister Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday said the agreement signed between Solid Waste Management and the leading Turk companies for beautification of Lahore on the pattern of Istanbul is a milestone and will also help promote economic and trade relations between both the countries.
He was speaking at the departure of the Turk delegation after signing of the agreement between Solid Waste Management and renowned Turk companies for solid waste management, here on Friday. Senior Advisor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Provincial Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Chairman Lahore Transport Company Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan and Chairman Planning & Development were also present on the occasion.
The chief minister said that negotiations were being held between Istanbul Municipality and Solid Waste Management for the last two years for restoring the natural beauty of Lahore and solid waste management in the city. He said that after Lahore, the same model would be replicated in other cities of province for disposal of garbage. He said that the agreement between the two countries was for seven years. He said that Pakistan is a poor country with limited resources and the Turk companies have proved their love and sincerity by reducing billions of rupees in the tender price.
He also thanked the acting Turkish ambassador Aishi Cane Austop for coming especially from Islamabad for the agreement. Chairman Albarak Group of Companies thanked the Punjab government and said that he considered Pakistan as a second home and Lahore would soon be made a clean and beautiful city through implementation of the project.
He said that cleanliness conditions of Istanbul were similar to Lahore in 1992, however, Turk Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan who was the Mayor at that time played an important role in making Istanbul one of the beautiful and cleanest cities in the world and the same spirit will be displayed in the beautification of Lahore. Later, the Chief Minister presented gifts of paintings and calligraphy to the members of the delegation.