- Nawaz says govt won’t allow ‘people’ to create unrest on August 14
- Lays foundation stone of Rs 8.5b Chakwal-Mandra, Chakwal-Sohawa roads, says development package covers whole of Pakistan not particular areas
- Says power crisis cannot be resolved overnight as previous govts did not take any concrete measure to resolve issue
Implicitly referring to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s plan to hold ‘Azadi March’ on August 14, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said that people will not be allowed to create unrest in the country on Independence Day.
The premier was speaking in Chakwal after he laid the foundation stone of Chakwal-Sohawa and Chakwal-Mandra roads worth Rs 8.5 million.
Prime Minister Sharif said that the projects were expected to be completed within 12 to 15 months. The 66 kilometres long Chakwal-Sohawa Road will be completed with a cost of Rs 4.34 billion while the 63 kilometres long Chakwal-Mandra Road will be completed with Rs 4.25 billion.
The prime minister also announced to make Chakwal Bypass a part of the project so that the inter city traffic density could be minimised. The project would benefit the people of Chakwal, Khushab, Sohawa, Talagang, Mianwali and DI Khan and would be constructed as dual carriageways.
The prime minister said that the project was of vital importance for the locals and its construction should be carried out at a fast pace. He directed the officials to extend the width of the roads and complete the construction work in one year.
The PM also paid tribute to the people of Chakwal whose soldiers had played an important role for protection of the country. He called it a city of Ghazis (survivors) and Shuhadas (martyrs).
DEVELOPMENT IS IN THE AIR:
Addressing the ceremony, Sharif said that the government had made a comprehensive development package for the entire country and mega projects initiated in different sectors were not limited to a specific area.
Speaking on the energy crisis, premier said that 26 power projects had been launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab. He said that 10 coal power projects in Gadani, two coal power projects in Port Qasim, four power plants in different locations of Punjab, 10 coal power projects in Thar, Dasu Dam, Diamer Dam and Civil Nuclear Power Project in Karachi spoke volumes about the government’s commitment to resolve the energy crisis being faced by the country.
“We are striving for long term as well as short term coal, hydel and nuclear power projects so that cheap and abundant electricity is made available for people of Pakistan in the next few years,” he said.
Sharif said power crisis could not be resolved overnight as the previous governments did not take any concrete measure to resolve the issue and it was now Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government which had taken up this task on war footings.
“We have inherited an empty exchequer. Two previous governments did nothing to get rid of load-shedding, whereas we have started working to eliminate power crisis. This is being done for the first time in country’s history. Only one year has passed, you will see that prosperity will come in next four years. It will take time to correct past mistakes,” he said.
“We have solution to all the problems faced by our country and we are going step by step to resolve them,” he added.