Prime minister-designate Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday advised the nation not to expect an immediate solution to the prevalent power crisis, but said his government would take every possible step to overcome the energy crisis in the country.
Addressing a ceremony on occasion of “Yaum-e-Takbeer”, the 15th anniversary of Pakistan going nuclear, Nawaz said Pakistan had become the seventh nuclear power 15 years ago, but the condition of the nation did not represent a nuclear power.
“One should not expect the new government to resolve the issue of load shedding overnight. However, a visible change will be seen after short term measures of the new government,” he said, urging the people to be patient and wait for improvement in power supply.
The future PM said despite being a nuclear power, Pakistan was facing the worst power crisis that he believed was shameful and it needed to be seen why the great country had gone to the edge of destruction.
He said power load shedding had worsened the economic situation as business, industry and economy had been destroyed while the life of a common man had become troubled.
Nawaz said that power plants that ran on coal and bagasse would take three to four years to be functional, adding that he would talk to friendly countries like China and Turkey to help Pakistan in the energy sector.
He said during his last tenure, the economy of Pakistan was better than India’s and other countries in the region, while Pakistani currency was also stronger than that of neighbouring countries.
Nawaz vowed to take all challenges seriously and drag the country out of all crises. He said although the country was facing grave challenges‚ the new government would steer the country out of them.
He thanked the nation for making a mature decision to give clear cut majority to the PML-N.
“The PML-N will work with all seriousness to resolve the issues. I hope the new government will be able to improve the situation within days‚ not months or years. People will see a change very soon after we take charge of the government on June 5,” said Nawaz.
About the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s recent visit, Nawaz said he was told by the visiting dignitary that his name was very familiar with every house in China. “The people of China consider you as a close friend and they will like to work with you closely,” he quoted Li as telling him.