ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Saturday said that the nation was showing unity to make Pakistan as an Asian Tiger in economic terms as it had shown unity in 1998 when the country carried out nuclear tests making the national defense as impregnable.
In his message to the nation on Youm-e-Takbeer, the prime minister said May 28, 1998 was an unforgettable day in the history of Pakistan when country’s appeared as an atomic power on the globe.
Youm-e-Takbeer is not only a symbol of bravery of the Pakistani nation, it was also a strong message to the enemies that aggressors against Pakistan would meet an exemplary fate.
He said some 19 years ago, when the Pakistan Muslim League government decided to carry out nuclear tests, it had been facing numerous challenges. On one side, it had been facing economic threats while on the other hand it was being dubbed as un unforgiveable offense.
“The Muslim League leadership accepted the challenges banking upon Allah and public support and kept the national dignity supreme. The nation is also thankful to the personalities who showed bravery at that time and played their role to make Pakistan an atomic power,” he remarked.
The prime minister said Youm-e-Takbeer was in fact the declaration of the fact that the nations always head forward through a vision and steadfastness. The nations’ future is imperiled if they have a leadership without any vision or that is naive about the national interests.
The prime minister said if the national leadership shows bravery, the nation gets confidence and achieve progress.
“Nineteen years ago, we had made country’s defense as impregnable. Today, with same dedication and passion, the country’s economy is also being made strong and stable. In this age, the defense of any nation cannot be separated from its economic stability,” he said.
Prime Minister Sharif said the journey of national economic development was going on with fast pace and “just like nuclear explosion, Pakistan will also carry out an economic explosion. The whole world believed in such possibilities,” he said.
He said CPEC was a mix of various projects which would usher a new era of prosperity.
The prime minister viewed that Pakistan’s nuclear programme created balance of power in South Asia just becoming a symbol of peace as the smaller states in the region also heaved a sigh of relief.
Sharif said Pakistan’s economic stability was also a symbol of regional prosperity and Pakistan wanted other states from not only South Asia but others also to join the race to collectively bring prosperity in the region.
He viewed that justice and equal opportunities for economic development could only guarantee peace in the region.