A delegation led by Executive Vice President and Chief executive officer of Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank group Keiko Honda met Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday and expressed the willingness to assist in investment in healthcare system and industrial parks in Punjab.
She said that the Punjab province under the leadership of Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has made splendid achievements in different sectors and the measures taken in health, education, industries and other sectors are commendable. She said that close cooperation will be extended to Punjab government for increasing investment in different sectors.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that economy of Pakistan has strengthened due to effective policies of the government and foreign exchange reserves have reached a record level. Referring to the steps taken for coping with energy crisis, Shehbaz Sharif said that besides traditional methods, power generation work is being carried out expeditiously for energy production through alternate sources.
He said that thousands of megawatts of electricity will be added to national grid with the completion of energy projects by the end of the next year.
He said that agriculture, industry and other sectors will develop due to increase in power production and the rate of annual development will increase by two per cent. He said that the government is also working on power projects with its own resources. He said that federal and Punjab government are speedily implementing projects of generation of electricity through gas, and added that completion of gas-based power projects of 3600 megawatts will result in availability of cheap electricity to the masses. He said that work is continuing round the clock on 1320 megawatts coal power plant in Sahiwal.
The chief minister said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project will be completed in the beginning of next year. He said that a huge sum of 112 billion rupees have been saved on gas power projects by adopting the highest standard of transparency. He said that load-shedding will be overcome to a large extent by the end of next year.
Shehbaz Sharif further said that political and military leadership is on one page for eliminating the menace of terrorism and extremism and operation Zarb-e-Azb has broken the back of terrorists. He said that brave armed forces of Pakistan have achieved splendid successes in operation Zarb-e-Azab. He said that rooting out of terrorists is essential for achieving the targets of socio-economic development.
Referring to the steps taken for the development of social sectors, the chief minister said that Punjab government has introduced a number of reforms for the improvement of education, health and other social sector and record resources have been provided for this purpose during current fiscal year. He said that he personally reviews implementation of reforms programme in education, health and social sectors.
He said that a large portion of Pakistan’s population comprises youth and provision of vocational training to them for their empowerment is a big challenge. He said that government has evolved a programme to make 2000000 youth skillful during next two years and technical assistance of World Bank for this programme will be welcomed.
He said that metro bus projects are running successfully in Lahore and Islamabad-Rawalpindi while metro bus project in Multan is in final stages of completion. He said that provision of modern transport facilities to the masses is the priority of the government. He said that Lahore Orange Line Metro Train project is also being implemented speedily.
The chief minister said that government has eliminated child labour from brick kilns and the children working on brick kilns have been enrolled in schools by giving them scholarships. He said that a conducive atmosphere for investment has been created in Punjab, and added that private sector has also been provided favorable conditions for business. He said that hospitals are being upgraded in Punjab for extending modern treatment facilities to the masses. He said that the first apparel park of the country is being set up near motorway. He said that the MIGA should consider setting up a separate institution for financing the sector of industrial development.
Provincial Ministers Rana Mashhood Ahmad, Zakiya Shahnawaz, Asif Saeed Manais, Adviser Dr. Ijaz Nabi, chief secretary, Planning and Development Chairman, concerned secretaries, Senior Vice President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Almas Haider and senior officers were present on the occasion.
