SHUJABAD, May 26 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday that said a national dialogue must
be held to evolve consensus for new province but it should not be used as mere election
slogan.
Addressing a public gathering here after inaugurating Multan-Shujabad section of
Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5), the prime minister said many other countries had also
created new provinces that was possible in Pakistan too.
He was accompanied by Governor Punjab Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana and Minister
for Water Resources Javed Ali Shah.
The prime minister earlier unveiled the plaque of the project what he said had been
completed a year ahead of schedule.
The Sukkur-Multan Motorway is part of Karachi-Lahore Motorway Project and is
being constructed under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that would cost
Rs 294 billion.
Work on the motorway was started in 2016 and is scheduled to complete by
2019. It is a 6-lane access controlled facility, taking off from Sukkur and terminating
at Multan, after passing through several major cities including Ghotki, Rahim Yar
Khan, Sadiqabad and Bahawalpur.
The prime minister told the gathering that those who had now been calling for
South Punjab province were part of Pervez Musharraf’s government when new
province could have been created within no time.
He said such people were just cheating the people and challenged them to
prove their performance during their respective tenures with that of the PML-N
government in all sectors.
He said the whole political elite should join heads on the issue of new
provinces and other national issues as the politics of blackmailing and impersonation
would not work anymore.
He said the present government had delivered even beyond its commitments and
besides it own projects, it had also accomplished the half-complete projects of previous
government that had been lingering for decades.
He said the previous governments too had same resources but failed to deliver.
During the last five years, the government had executed record projects, comparing
with the last 65 years. It had added around 10,400MW to national grid, comparing with
20,000 MW generated since creation of Pakistan.
The Prime Minister said despite severe shortage of water in reservoirs, the government was ensuring
provision of uninterrupted power supply, particularly during Sehr and Iftar timings.
He said the power plants, being installed by the government, would meet the power needs of
the country for the next 20 years.
He said after completion of motorway, the people from Shujabad would be able to reach Lahore
within 2.5 hours and Karachi within seven to eight hours.
The prime minister said during last five years, numerous attempts were made to destablise the
government but it remained undeterred and kept up its course.
He said the credit for completion of Lowari Tunnel project also goes to the present government
that had been lingering on for the last 45 years.
He said Punjab government had changed the face of the cities and villages in the province
despite getting lowest funds, as compared to other provinces.
He said the people had witnessed the outcome of their voting PML-N into government in form
of development projects and they would have to make another decision in July as general election
was approaching.
Prime Minister Abbasi said even the government was threatened of umpire’s finger but it kept
up its course of national development.
He told the gathering that funds for Shujabad-Khangarh bridge on River Chenab had been
allocated in PSDP and work would start within four to five months. The project would reduce the
distance between Multan-DG Khan Divisions from 75 to six kilometers.
The prime minister also assured that railway stop of Pakistan Express at Shujabad would
also be started within few days and Shujabad-Lodhran road would be widened in the next fiscal
year.
Referring to the death of five laborers in an accident on the motorway, the prime minister
announced a compensation of Rs 1 million for the deceased and Rs 0.5 million for the injured.
This would be besides the compensation to be paid by their employer firm that had been directed
by the Chairman National Highway Authority, he added.
