During a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNAs from Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Hafizabad and Gujrat at the Prime Minister’s House on Tuesday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed his government’s resolve to counter terrorism through the 20-point National Action Plan (NAP) which has been agreed upon by the country’s political leadership.
“The successful holding of Pakistan Day parade in a peaceful environment reflects that peace-achieving efforts of the government are going successful. Periods of dictatorship in Pakistan became breeding grounds for terrorism and extremism in the country and now the democratic government is taking steps to eradicate this menace,” the premier said, adding that the situation in Karachi was also improving with each passing day.
The prime minister also patted his own back for the success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb which has produced results following the failure in holding result-oriented dialogue with Taliban.
Taking pride in announcing the construction of a four-lane expressway from Sialkot to Lahore, Sharif said that his government was also planning constructing a highway with Chinese cooperation from Khunjerab to Gwadar.
Taking a sigh over the country’s energy crisis, the premier said LNG-based power plants were being set up through PSDP funding in Pakistan which would generate 3600 MW of electricity. In addition, negotiations are under way for the import of electricity from China, he said.
Congratulating the nation on a bumper wheat crop expected this year, the prime minister approved forming a committee for looking into the matter of agricultural subsidies for different areas according to their specific conditions, for giving recommendations for increasing wheat and rice export, solar based home water solutions and solar tube-wells. The committee headed by Zahid Hamid comprises Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan, Sikandar Bosan, Nasir Iqbal Bosal, Daniyal Aziz and AEDB MD.
On the occasion, the visiting MNAs briefed the premier on the existing crises the country is facing and appreciated the ruling government’s efforts to overcome them.
Participants of the meeting included Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Commerce Minister Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan, CADD Minister Usman Ibrahim, Health Services Minister Saira Afzal Tarar, MNAs Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk, Mian Tariq Mehmood and Rana Umer Nazir Khan among others.
