Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday submitted in the National Assembly (NA) details of the expenditures incurred on dealing with the protest demonstrations at Islamabad’s Red Zone during the past five years, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
As per these details, the government spent Rs105,550,000 in the year, 2019-2020 for transporting the Pakistan Army, Rangers, FC and police personnel from their barracks to the checkpoints to deal with protestors.
Likewise, in the same year, Rs52,211,000 were spent on the provision of food items to these personnel, thus putting the total expenditures incurred at Rs157,761,000.
The expenditures stood at Rs96,135,599 in the year, 2020-21; at Rs277,948,000 in the year, 2021-22; at Rs724,031,000 in the year, 2022-23, and Rs100,000,000 in the year, 2023-24.
57 incidents of fire took place at Margalla Hills, NA told
Also on Wednesday, the interior minister submitted in the NA in writing details of the damage caused to the Margalla Hills National Park due to frequent incidents of fire.
The House was informed that total 57 incidents of fire were reported from the forest in three years. “26 such incidents took place in the year, 2022; nine in 2023, and 22 in 2024.”
The report said 117 acres of the Margalla Hills were burnt due to the fires in 2022; 20 acres of land was destroyed in 2023, and 130 acres of land was destroyed in 2024.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA), in the last three years, had planted saplings in the affected areas of the forest to make up for the damage.
Reporter: Rozeena Ali