No protest, sit-in can impede journey to progress: Shahbaz

 

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that no sit-in or protest against the process of national development can succeed.
According to a handout issued on Sunday, he was talking to a representative delegation of journalists, columnists and intellectuals of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. The delegation congratulated him on the speedy measures for resolving the energy crisis and development projects in the Punjab.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the opposition parties should wait for their turn and not become impatient to oust the government.He said that they were burning the midnight oil with good intentions to take the country out of the crisis and, therefore the opposition parties should wait and promote national solidarity with due regard to the national issues.

During the meetings with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and different delegations on Sunday, the prime minister said when the country would progress and prosper, only then politics would prevail, as future of the country was with democracy.

He said that the first year of this government was going to be completed on June 6, and during this one year, the initial strategy to lead the country on the right track had been evolved, whose positive effects would become clear soon.

The premier further said that their agenda was in line with prosperity of the country. He stated that those who were holding back the progress would end up in dismay. Talking to the guests, the CM said the projects evolved during the tenure of those who were criticising the welfare programmes of the government unjustifiably were not monuments of development but graveyards of corruption. He said the present government was moving in the right direction and the people knew very well who was serving them and who was indulging only in protest politics.

He said had these projects been completed three years ago, Pakistan would not have to face an economic loss of Rs165 billion nor the poor nation had to spend an additional amount of Rs30,000 billion due to the delay in the projects. He said the PML-N government was serving the masses with commitment and sincerity.He said Allah Almighty had given the present leadership an opportunity to serve the nation and it would spare no effort to give a strong and brighter Pakistan to the coming generation.

The chief minister said the completion of the Nandipur Power Project in a record period of seven months was the result of the best team work. He said solid economic policies of the government were yielding positive results and national economy was improving. He said the foreign exchange reserves had increased beyond 13 billion dollars while the Pakistani currency had also stabilised against the dollar; the government was making efforts for overcoming the energy crisis and power projects were being launched expeditiously in the country. He said the government had allocated Rs30 billion for the Dasu Dam and Diamer Bhasha Dam while a sum of Rs55 billion had been allocated for the Karachi-Lahore Motorway and this mega project was being started from Karachi.

He said the Punjab government had voluntarily given Rs11 billion from its annual share to other provinces for achieving a consensus on the NFC Award and as such it had given Rs44 billion to other provinces during the last four years.The delegation members said the chief minister was a revolutionary leader and taking historic measures for the public welfare. They paid tributes to the chief minister for the projects and wished other provinces to have chief ministers like Shahbaz Sharif.

Protests can’t stop govt from working for progress: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif has said that sit-in or protest could not stop the incumbent government from working for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

Talking to a delegation of journalists, columnists, and intellectuals from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan here Sunday, Shahbaz said the government is moving in a right direction and will continue the mission to serve the masses at all costs.

He said if the Nadipur power project could be completed in 7 months, the government could overcome energy crisis in four years.

Shahbaz said the federal government has allocated Rs55 billion for Karachi-Lahore Motorway and Rs30 billion for Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu Dams, adding work on these projects would begin soon.

Looters of public money to be made an example: Shahbaz

MUZAFFARGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday vowed to eliminate corruption root and branch and said those busy looting hard-earned public money will be made an example.
The chief minister said this while inaugurating a 50-bed state-of-the-art hospital at Rakh Khanpur situated in the flood-hit area of Muzaffargarh.

The Rs2 billion hospital has been constructed from the funds donated by the Turkish people. The hospital will be run by a trust. Dr Abdul Bari Khan of the Indus Hospital and the Punjab Government will sign an MoU in Lahore next week.

Shahbaz said he would abandon politics if he failed to wipe out corruption. He warned that corruption and negligence in healthcare would not be tolerated and stern action was being taken against those who had purchased rusted machinery for Lodhran Hospital.

He said the Turkish people had given sufficient donations for the construction of housing colonies, schools and hospitals for the flood-hit people of Dera Ghazi Khan. He said Turkey had become a role model for cities from Casablanca to Kuala Lumpur under the guidance of PM Tayyip Erdogan.

Shahbaz saluted the Turkish PM and said Turkey and Pakistan would walk shoulder to shoulder in every walk of life to get optimum benefit from each others’ potential.He said the Metro Bus Project assisted by Turkey had transformed Lahore into a modern and developed city. Shahbaz vowed to strengthen bilateral, trade, cultural, political and economic relations with Turkey.

“Pakistanis and the Turkish people enjoy historic brotherly relations. I am proud of this relationship,” the CM said.The chief minister took serious notice of the abduction of a newborn from the Muzaffargarh DHQ Hospital during a power shutdown.

Khawaja Salman Rafique, adviser to the CM, said the hospital was equipped with the latest healthcare facilities.Punjab Health Secretary Dr Ijaz Munir, Dean KE Medical University Prof Dr Arshad Cheema, Secretary Irfan Elahi, City Press Club President Dr Khalid Mehmood, Turkish representative Mehmoud Ahmed, Mian Ahsan of Lahore, Sohaib-bin-Amir, Minister Social Welfare Makhdoom Haroon Sultan and MPA Qaswar Kareem Langrial, Hammad Nawaz Tipu and MPA Mian Imran Qureshi were present on the occasion.

Shahbaz asked to probe LeJ threats to Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah on Friday wrote a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressing his concern over a threatening letter to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari from the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ).

The opposition leader requested the chief minister to investigate the matter and take action in this regard.“I would like to draw your attention to an important issue regarding the threatening letter received by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari from proscribed outfit LeJ. This is an issue of utmost importance and PPP is taking this as a matter of great concern,” Shah wrote.

The opposition leader stated in the letter that in the past, the PPP had faced irreparable losses due to terrorist activities and now the party was not in a position to risk the life of its leader. “I expect that Punjab government shall take this matter seriously and a detailed inquiry be initiated at a higher level in this regard,” he added.

Shah stated he would be grateful if immediate action was taken at this point.Meanwhile, the PPP submitted a condemnation resolution in the National Assembly Secretariat over the threatening letter.

The resolution signed by all the PPP legislators stated: “This House strongly condemns the life threats given to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and demands immediate action against the proscribed outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.”

Meanwhile, the Sindh Assembly adopted a resolution with unanimous vote to condemn the LeJ’s threatening letter to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The resolution moved by Dr Abdul Sattar Rajper also urged the Sindh government to approach the federal government to take a serious notice of the threatening letter and take necessary precautions for ensuring safety and protection of the life of the PPP chairman.

Shahbaz stresses on women role in progress of Pakistan

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has stated that if the metro bus project could be launched in 11 months, the obsolete system could also be changed, Geo News reported.

Addressing the convocation of Lahore College of Women University here Monday, Shahbaz Sharif asked the girls to play their due role after completing their studies. He said the country could not progress if educated women spend time at home to drink coffee.

CM Punjab announced to open the doors of treasury for the university, which make its place in the first 500 universities of the world.

Shahbaz further said happiness could not be brought by playing drums, adding that hardworking was key to happiness.

 

Nawaz, Shahbaz spend little time at Pindi Metro launch

ISLAMABAD: The auspicious day of March 23 was specifically chosen for the groundbreaking of the grand Metro Bus Service (MBS) project by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to give a message that the present government wants to realize the dreams of the forefathers of the homeland.

However, guests at the impressive ceremony held near Flashman’s Hotel, the starting point of the MBS, including the sitting federal and provincial legislators, the defeated candidates of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), members of the civil society and the elite of town were disappointed as neither the prime minister nor the chief minister spared even a few moments to mingle with them as they had been doing in the past. Several bureaucrats also waited in vain for at least a handshake by the prime minister to mark their recognition.

“It was on such occasions that we used to get an opportunity for a brief chat with the prime minister otherwise it is now almost impossible to have a one-on-one meeting with him,” a ruling party MP remarked to The News. “This policy needs to be reviewed.”

Both Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were in a hurry. They came, saw a few minutes’ documentary on the MBS, deliveredSharif were in a hurry. They came, saw a few minutes’ documentary on the MBS, delivered their written and extempore speeches and quickly left the scene. It was clear from their arrival and departure that they were hard-pressed because of time and had a lot to do elsewhere. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was no different. He came with them and quickly left with them. He has become much preoccupied because of talks with the Taliban.

The prime minister had a very busy schedule on Sunday and could not manage to squeeze time to mix with the guests at the MBS ceremony.At 8 in the morning, he chaired a meeting on the forthcoming talks of the government committee with the advisory council of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), then attended the Pakistan Day function at the Presidency, and subsequently presided over the MBS function before going from here straight to the airport to fly abroad to attend a conference.

Those who have been attending such functions of Nawaz Sharif for years during his previous governments say that he was always easily accessible on these occasions. The security concerns now weigh heavily on every mind and are apparently a major hurdle in his mingling.

However, both the brothers delivered passionate speeches, bemoaning the wastage of time and resources by their predecessors. The prime minister also said that some small countries, which were far behind Pakistan a few decades, have now gone far ahead of our country because of development and progress due to the sincerity of the leadership.

Conversely, he stated, successive rulers pushed Pakistan into deep abyss. Terrorism is one such menace created by them, he said. In the last 65 years, Pakistan has not progressed much due to their wrong approaches and strategies.

Workaholic Shahbaz Sharif has publicly announced to complete gigantic MBS project in just ten months, which would be a sort of rare record. Though the project is presently estimated to cost Rs44.5 billion, it would certainly involve considerably more public money. Development work amounting to approximately Rs5 billion would have to be executed every month to meet the deadline.

The prime minister lauded the capability and capacity of Shahbaz Sharif and said the chief minister has proved his talent by completing the Lahore MBS in a record period.The chief minister conceded that he had not correctly estimated the share of the Punjab and federal governments in funding the MSB. It was early 50-50 formula. But he said he has now come to know that his government will have to spend increased funds, and therefore, he requested the prime minister to hike the federal share to which Nawaz Sharif agreed.

The officials of the federal and Punjab government, who would be supervising the project, would be required to be extra vigilant and watchful, and may have to spend sleepless night as the chief minister is expected to spend much of his time in looking after each and every stage and detail of the project with his physical presence here. If he did not do so, it can’t be completed in ten months.

It will be a great challenge for Shahbaz Sharif, whose government, however, surpasses all other provincial administrations due to its good governance and efficiency. The officials who have worked with him in Punjab know his style of work and had been coming up to his expectations, but no such culture exists at the federal level since long. Many heads may roll for inefficiency as work on the MBS project proceeds.