Govt committed to uniform development of all areas: PM

Dera Ghazi Khan: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that the federal government was committed to uniform progress and prosperity of all areas with uplift of backward areas like South Punjab by spreading a vast network of development projects.

Addressing a huge public gathering, the prime minister said when they came to power, the inflation had reached over 40 percent, but his leader Nawaz Sharif decided to sacrifice politics for the sake of the country.

With hard work and pro-development policies of the incumbent government, the inflation was capped below 2.4 percent while the interest rate had been reduced to 12 percent benefitting the investors, business people and farmers, he added.

The prime minister, expressing his views in local Saraiki dialect, said that Nawaz Sharif and he had a strong relation with this region. During the year 2010, when the flood water and destruction was witnessed everywhere in these areas, he as a servant of the area, worked day and night to alleviate sufferings of the masses.

“I have come to convey that Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif are working day and night for the uplift of entire province, particularly for the South Punjab,” he added.

The prime minister said during his previous tenures, he had worked for the establishment of Danish schools, hospitals, provision of free medicines and livestock, award of scholarships, besides allocating extra quota for the youth of the area in different sectors.

The prime minister said the chief minister Punjab was spreading a network of hospitals and roads in the province, inaugurated facility of Kissan cards, different health and education centers, besides working for the establishment of Nawaz Sharif cancer hospital in Lahore.

Earlier, the prime minister unveiled plaque of upgradation project of Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari International Airport and performed ground breaking of dualization of 331km Indus Highway (N-55), Tranche-III of Rajanpur-Dera Ghazi Khan.

The prime minister was briefed by the relevant authorities about the salient features of these projects.

The completion of the project would enhance connectivity between the southern parts of Punjab with southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa via DIKhan and help in boosting economic, trade and business activities.

The prime minister, in his speech, also announced construction of a cancer hospital in DG Khan and establishment of university in Rajanpur.

The prime minister said that an era of progress and prosperity had dawned upon the area in which the youth would get jobs opportunities.

Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Tanvir Hussain, Attaullah Tarar and PM’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah also accompanied the prime minister.

The prime minister also reiterated that seeking foreign loans was no solution to their economic issues and the country’s future.

Without loans, they would change fate of the country by striving day and night and shedding sweat and blood, he said, adding that he did not believe in hollow slogans, and promised to ensure progress and prosperity of the backward areas.

He maintained that the country’s economy had stabilized.

The prime minister also praised all the leaders of the region for working hard for the uplift of their respective areas and mentioned minister for power who was working hard to provide relief over power tariff by bringing reforms.

The prime minister further said for progress and development, peace was requisite.

The enemies of Pakistan including Khwarij were carrying out terrorist activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces and the security forces were giving sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, he said and urged the people to remember these sacrifices.Pakistani cuisine recipes

“Without elimination of terrorism, the country cannot move on the path of progress,” he opined and without naming a political party, said mounting attacks on Islamabad in the past had caused immense losses as one-day strike caused billion of losses to the national kitty.

The prime minister also expressed the resolve that together, they would defeat enemies of Pakistan.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, in his welcome address, said that the people had converged in huge numbers to acknowledge the prime minister’s development agenda, adding Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had given Rs131 billion development package to the area.

The government under the prime minister’s leadership had controlled inflation, secured national interests and resolved issues like IPPs by providing relief to the poor masses, he added.

“PML-N is a party for the bright future of country,” he said, adding the construction of roads in the area would usher in an era of prosperity.

Sardar Jamal Khan also spoke on the occasion and thanked the prime minister for his affection for the people of area and his development initiatives.