Naqvi rejects Rs800m proposal to light up city for PSL

LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has refused to pay Rs80 crores for the installation of lights in the provincial capital during the PSL 2023 season. This is noteworthy because eight PSL games are scheduled in Lahore, and the district administration, in a meeting chaired by Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, floated the proposal of setting up big lights in Lahore, particularly on the route where movements of PSL teams are expected.

In the last PSL edition (2022), sources said the Punjab government had spent Rs60 crores for this purpose, but this time, Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi categorically refused to order the release of Rs80 crores for setting up lights in the provincial capital.

The meeting, chaired by Mohsin Naqvi to review the arrangements for the PSL and security of teams, was held on Monday, in which senior officials, including the IGP, commissioner, and others participated.

The issue related to the security of the team was primarily discussed during the meeting, and sources stated that officials of the Punjab government came up with the proposal of setting up large lights on different points of the city, which according to them was a request from the PCB.

However, the CM did not agree to the proposal and refused to pay the amount to the Punjab government.

Earlier in the day, the caretaker chief minister, in a press conference, had also expressed his resolve to address the issue of price hike and other public grievances on a priority basis, as per the constitutional powers designated to him.

According to an official close to the CM’s circle, the province is also facing economic challenges, and it is not appropriate to spend such a large sum of public money solely on the installation of lights.

According to sources, PCB still owes to the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC). The News contacted Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi, who stated that the PCB had not made such a request to the Punjab government. He said it was the responsibility of the state to ensure the security of visiting teams as well as the people. He claimed that it was the PCB that had previously paid for security for the Punjab government, and that the current IGP had done an admirable job in this regard, playing an important role in team security. The big three office-bearers from both Punjab and Sindh, including their sitting chief ministers, chief secretaries, and IGPs, have worked exceptionally well with PCB on the PSL arrangements. Besides, Najam also lauded the interior ministry and security agencies for their cooperation over PSL-related matters.