DIKHAN: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed resolve that despite myriad economic challenges including post-flood situation, coalition government was determined to steer country out of current difficulties.

Addressing ceremony after laying foundation stones of different uplift communication, road, hydel and power infrastructure projects, he said, “These challenges might be manifold but 220 million people of country should not get worried, coalition government with support of its partners will steer country out of challenges.”

He said for achievement of progress and prosperity, they would have to work hard with devotion. “Nations always faced difficulties and coalition government will put Pakistan on path of development only through hard work,” he added.

Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Advisor to PM on Political Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam, Amir of Jammiat-e-Ulema Islam-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman, relevant authorities and number of people were present.

PM said that he had laid down foundations for commencement of mega development projects in backward areas of southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He sarcastically referred that PTI provincial government always talked about introduction of an efficient system, but people had witnessed crumbling of that system whereas government’s blunders in this regard could not be neglected. He said however, collective efforts were made by all governments to overcome flood situation, but still different areas in Sindh were still under flood water and people in Gilgit Baltistan were shivering from biting cold.

He assured nation that federal coalition government in collaboration with provincial governments would not rest till complete rehabilitation of flood affected people. Pm said that construction of Hakla-Yarak Motorway which had hugely reduced travel time from Islamabad to DIKhan had been conceived and implemented by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said whole country had been connected with network of motorways and Nawaz Sharif solely deserved credit for launch of such mega projects.

He regretted that during past PTI’s government, all these uplift projects, initiated during PML-n government were brought to grinding halt.

Citing Hakla-DIKhan Motorway, he said it was part of CPEC conceived during 2017, but PTI government put these projects into cold storage, thus affecting development and progress of country.

He said that when he had taken oath, he did not realise economic disaster towards country was heading to as Pakistan was on verge of default, but due to efforts of coalition government and all other relevant institutions and prayers of nation, they saved country.

He said still they were faced with economic challenges. Pakistan suffered whopping loss of about $ 30 billion due to floods and these woes were multiplied by global inflation and recession, Russia and Ukraine conflict and exorbitant price of gas and oil at international market.

He said coalition government has still eight months’ tenure left and after that period, elections would be held in country.

In general elections, public would decide he said, whether they would vote for man who sold precious watches and in habit of levelling false allegations or for those people who served them.

He expressed optimism that they would change fate of Pakistan, as it was destined for fast-paced progress and prosperity.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 27 2022

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