GWADAR
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said the government and all its institutions, including the armed forces, would build Pakistan together.
Speaking at a briefing in Gwadar, he said his visit and meetings in Gwadar aimed at developing the area on fast track. He said that Gwadar has all the ingredients to become a free port like Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Planning Commission has been tasked with the exercise to hire international consultants for this purpose, he said.
The PM said the political and military leadership were on the same page as far as development of Pakistan was concerned. It is their joint resolve to take Pakistan forward and turn it into a developed country, Nawaz added.
He expressed the confidence that through collective efforts they would be able to resolve political, social and economic issues and put Pakistan on the road to progress and prosperity.
He said the government and all its institutions, including the armed forces would build Pakistan together.
He said development in Gwadar has not been up to the expectations about this port city.
Earlier, Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif along with senior officials received PM Nawaz Sharif at PNS Akram Base.
Nawaz said a new security force would be raised for the security and protection of foreign nationals, particularly the Chinese citizens, working on various projects in the area.
The PM said the civil and military leadership was on the same page and committed to work together for making Pakistan a developed, peaceful and secure country and retrieve it from the challenges it was facing.
“We are together and want to retrieve the country from various challenges. We are committed and we will do it,” he added.
During the meeting, Nawaz said, the matters relating to development of Balochistan, peace and security and Pak-China Economic Corridor were discussed.
The ways and means to connect Kashgar and Gwadar through road and rail links were deliberated in detail, he added. The PM said the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) director general briefed the meeting about the pace of work on various road projects underway in the province.
Nawaz expressed his government’s resolve to lay a network of roads in Balochistan during the current tenure.
The PM praised FWO DG Maj Gen Muhammad Afzal for his dedication in the development and construction work in Balochistan.
He said the development work in Balochistan by FWO was not aimed at making profits, as profit does not matter to achieve the goal of peace and progress in the province.
The PM said he would also convene a cabinet meeting in Balochistan. Nawaz praised reform policies, good governance and merit initiated by Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik. “He is doing good job,” he remarked.