ISLAMABAD, Aug 4 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Thursday said that the political parties planning to hold another sit-in would gain nothing as people of Pakistan could not be detracted by such sloganeers.
“People are mature and cannot be detracted anymore. They know which of the parties do politics of development and who believes in mere sloganeering. Only performance, not sit-ins bring success in politics,” the prime minister said addressing the parliamentary party meeting here.
The meeting was attended by a huge number of PML-N parliamentarians including cabinet members, senators, MNAs, MPAs and Advisers.
On his arrival at the venues, the Prime Minister was received by the participants by thumping the desk whom he thanked for praying for his recovery after he underwent an open heart surgery in London. The prime minister said that all opposition parties had used derogatory language against the government during their electioneering in Azad Kashmir but the people have seen its consequences in form of the election results.
Recalling his party’s stunning victory in the elections in AJK, Gilgit, local bodies as well in Cantonment Boards, the prime minister assured the people that his government would fulfill all of the commitments during the remaining tenure.
“We should accelerate the development works. We should carry out historic development during next two years and make up the deficiency,” he urged the parliamentarians.
He said Allah had been gracious enough on the PML-N for showering so many blessings on its government during last three years.
Prime Minister Sharif said despite propaganda by some people, the government had successfully brought the national economy to strong footings and even the international organizations had been recognizing the positive trends in Pakistan’s economy.
He said now Pakistan could not be labelled as failed state as the country has not only become emerging market but an emerging economy.
He told the participants that the government has concluded its last review with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and he desired to say good bye to the IMF as the country has achieved self-sufficiency.
The prime minister said Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves were record high and an investment climate has become in the country. “But we will go even beyond that,” he remarked.
Prime Minister Sharif said two power plants being built by Chinese companies would be completed within six to eight months.
He said two LNG-fueled power plants were also being constructed and the government would make all out efforts for their timely completion as the company had sought some more time in this regard.
He told the participants that the government had historically saved Rs 100 billion from these power plants.
The prime minister said Pervez Musharraf should be summoned in the National Assembly, be questioned and stood accountable for showing laxity to resolve the energy crisis.
He said if the previous governments had taken due steps, the miseries of the industry, agriculture and domestic consumers could have been addressed.
He said besides fulfilling the energy needs, the government was also striving to produce low-cost electricity through coal and other alternate energy resources. For the first time, Thar coal reserves were being used for power generation, he added.
Prime Minister Sharif said the incidents of terrorism had declined remarkably and lauded the role of armed forces. He paid tribute to the personnel of armed force, police and civilians who sacrificed their lives in terror incidents.
He said peace and economic development were inter-linked as after restoration of peace in Karachi, investors were coming to the city for business deals.
He said the federal government was going to introduce Greenline bus service in Karachi on the pattern of Metro Bus Service in Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The federal government was also funding water supply projects in Karachi,though the provincial government was supposed to carry out such projects.
He said situation in Balochistan has improved as parties were doing positive politics there and terrorists were on the run.
Highlighting his government’s vision of regional connectivity, the prime minister said Gwadar would be linked with whole of the country through a network of motorways as well as with Central Asia.
He said the China would invest $46 billion for China Pakistan Economic Corridor and Chinese President during his Pakistan visit had said, “CPEC is a gift to you from China.”
He said it looked as if China was waiting for the PML-N government to execute CPEC.
The prime minister said some people had obstructed the visit of Chinese President and caused the postponement of the visit.
He said country’s development, not the power was his priority contrary to some people who were poised to coming to rule.
He said the people should discourage the elements trying to drag the country into darkness. The PML-N never tried to bring instability in the country and party had staged a long march in the past just for restoration of the judiciary.
The participants of the meeting were also given a presentation on Prime Minister’s Sustainable Development Goals’ Programme aimed at carrying out development projects at local level through enhancing linkages among the people and their representatives in parliament.
The programme would be executed through three steering committees at federal, provincial and divisional levels.
The programme is aimed at focusing at development projects at grassroots level like provision of water filtration plants, urban sewerage, construction of new schools, rehabilitation of old ones by providing missing facilities, provision of electric supply, amenities like graveyards, parks and gas supply.
The participants apprised the prime minister about the issues in their respective constituencies who issued directives for their early resolution.
The prime minister also briefed the parliamentarians about the government’s plans for next two years and directed them to remain in contact with the elected representatives in the local bodies during the execution of development projects.
