All provinces bond in strong relations of love, sincerity: CM

All provinces bond in strong relations of love, sincerity: CM
APP85-21 LAHORE: December 21 – Punjab Chief Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif distributing laptops among the visiting students from Gwadar. APP

LAHORE, Dec 21 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz
Sharif said Pakistan was comprised of four provinces as well as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and they all were bond together in strong relations of love, brotherhood and sincerity, while their joys and sorrows were common.
He said it was a lasting system and formula that binds the countries and societies. He said merit and justice were the secret which helps promote mutual love and amity. He said prosperity of all units of Pakistan was essential for national prosperity.
He said the progress of Sindh, Balochistan, KPK, Punjab and other areas would result in development and prosperity of Pakistan.
Shehbaz Sharif said Balochistan was the biggest province of Pakistan on the basis of area and people of the province were patriotic who played an important role in the creation of Pakistan.
He said unfortunately, people of Balochistan had some misunderstandings and their grievances should have been redressed. He said some allegations were also leveled against Punjab but the present government tried to counter them through practical and
sincere efforts based on justice.
He said under the NFC Award of 2009-10, Punjab government gave 11 billion rupees from its annual share to Balochistan and as such surrendered 55 billion rupees to Balochistan during five years.
The Chief Minister said Punjab government had also included male and female students of Balochistan and other federal units in its educational programmes as it believes that Pakistan was the country of people of all provinces and collective efforts were needed for its progress and prosperity.
He also announced to send ten male and female students of Gawadar to China on merit basis for learning Chinese language and said the quota of students of Balochistan in educational institutions of Punjab would also be enhanced and a decision would soon be taken in this regard.
The Chief Minister was addressing a 78-member delegation of students of Gawadar, Balochistan, which was on a visit to Punjab at Model Town, on Wednesday. He also distributed laptops among the visiting students.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said he was very happy to meet students of Balochistan. He said Balochistan was the largest province of Pakistan and its people were very patriotic.
He said solution of genuine problems of Balochistan was and would always be responsibility of the federal government. However, he said, efforts had been made to some extent for coping with the challenges and solution of problems of Balochistan.
Shehbaz Sharif said dictator General Pervez Musharraf who raised the slogan of Pakistan First could not achieve NFC Award, as consensus could not be developed on NFC Award during his ten years dictatorship and he was compelled to give an interim award.
He said it was the political leadership which through mutual consultations achieved NFC Award in 2009-10. He said the federal government, chief ministers of the four provinces and finance ministers of that time achieved NFC Award and had the whole leadership not been on one page, it would not have been possible.
Shehbaz Sharif said under the NFC Award, Balochistan got largest resources for the first time and its funds were increased by 100 percent.
He said students of all units of Pakistan had also been included in the
programme for learning Chinese language and they would play a key role in the implementation of CPEC after learning Chinese.
The Chief Minister said an investment of 51 billion dollar was being made in Pakistan under CPEC and Balochistan also had a big share.
He said Gawadar Port would accelerate economic and trade activities in the area and lakhs of job opportunities would be created. Unfortunately, he said, a political debate had also been started on the development of Gawadar Port which was unjustified. He said progress of Gawadar would benefit the local people and propaganda on this account was against the solidarity and integrity of the country. He said Gawadar Port would promote economic and trade activities for the people of the region and no enemy could stop this process as people of Gawadar also had a right over CPEC. He said CPEC is the project of prosperity of the whole country and it is a blessing of Allah Almighty for Pakistani nation. He said that opposition to this project is totally unjustified.
The Chief Minister said it was a good news for people of Balochistan that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had also got metro bus service project for Quetta included in CPEC and decision in this regard would be taken in the next meeting in Beijing. He said metro bus route of Quetta would be 42 kilometers whereas metro bus route in Lahore was 27 kilometers.
He said there was a need for unity and collective efforts for progress and prosperity and transforming Pakistan in accordance with the vision of Quaid and Iqbal in the real sense.
Addressing the students, the Chief Minister said they were future of Pakistan and have to restore the image of the country in the comity of nations. He said they should pay attention to their studies and become doctors, engineers, professors, bankers and prove their mettle as well as promote philosophy of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Muhammad Iqbal. He asked them to follow the principle of honesty, hard work and commitment. He said there was also a need to make collective efforts for national progress and prosperity and not to repeat the past mistakes.
He said peace had been restored in the country and it was a result of the decision taken jointly by military and political leadership in 2013 under which operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched against terrorists. He said Pak Army, police, security institutions and citizens had rendered supreme sacrifices in the war against terrorism and this menace would be rooted out. He said Pakistani society did not have trends like extremism and militancy till 70s and this menace took roots in the 80s and there were a number of causes for it.
Shehbaz Sharif said earlier Pakistani society was tolerant and accommodating and there was no room for terrorism and extremism. Replying to questions of students from Gawadar, the Chief Minister said educational fund of Punjab government had become the biggest educational fund in South Asia and more than 1.5 lakh talented students of the country having limited resources were benefiting from it. He said scholarship of 11 billion rupees had been given from this fund so far.
Replying to another question, the Chief Minister said CPEC was a blessing and this project was a game changer. He said hard work is secret of success and Germany and Japan are an example which after complete defeat and destruction achieved heights of progress and development. He said that an airport is also being constructed in Gawadar under CPEC besides an industrial estate will be set up where investment of billions of dollars will be made.
Responding to another question, he said that the future of fishermen of Gawadar is bright as due to CPEC latest technology will be introduced and foreign exchange will also come. Replying to the demand of a student that there is shortage of teachers in Gawadar Institute of Technology and technology teachers from Punjab should be sent, the Chief Minister said that he will talk to Prime Minister and send five teachers instead of three. He said that after listening to the brilliant students of Balochistan, he has come to the conclusion that there is vast talent in the province.
Students from Gawadar while expressing their views paid rich tributes to Chief Minister for his efforts for the progress and development of Punjab. They also thanked the Chief Minister and Punjab government for their hospitality. Provincial Ministers Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan and Raza Ali Gillani also spoke on the occasion. Provincial Ministers, Members Assembly, Vice Chancellors, educationists, senior officials of Punjab government and a large number of male and female students were present on the occasion.

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