Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday expressing his pleasure over Pakistan cricket team’s marvels during the ICC Champions Trophy, said due to the policies of his government, Pakistan now enjoyed the status of a fast developing country among the comity of nations.
Addressing a reception held here to welcome the Pakistan cricket team, he said that Pakistan embarked upon a journey of progress and prosperity with several development initiatives taken by his government, boosting its power, energy and infrastructure sectors. He assured that his government would continue patronage of sports in the country.
Earlier, the Pakistan team led by skipper Sarfraz Ahmed were introduced to the prime minister. The team was warmly received by ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Senator Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Abid Sher Ali, Adviser Irfan Siddiqui and others.
House leader in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, federal cabinet members and a number of parliamentarians were also present on the occasion. The reception was attended by Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Sheheryar Khan, Executive Committee Chairman Najam Sethi, Chief Selector Inazamul Haq and former national cricket stars.
Prime Minister Nawaz said that the power sector was now witnessing an unprecedented boom with the establishment of new power plants. Similarly, a vast network of roads and motorways was being laid, he said, mentioning the Lahore to Karachi motorway and six-lane Hyderabad-Sukkar-Multan-Lahore motorway.
He said that Gwadar and Khunjrab were also being linked through roads at a cost of about 1,000 billion rupees. The country’s growth rate was on the surge, which would soon touch the mark of six per cent, he said. He said the backbone of terrorists had been broken and informed the gathering that he was told by the Azad Jammu Kashmir prime minister and the Gilgit Baltistan chief minister about the influx of visitors thronging the scenic valleys.
He said that such a phenomenon was being observed during the last few years as the visitors were arriving Neelum and Leepa valleys and Khunjrab Pass. He said that such prospects were also infusing new spirit into sports activities in the country. The prime minister said Pakistan had its self respect and advised Najam Sethi not to beg any foreign team to come and play here.
Expressing his confidence, he said time was not far off when all the international cricket teams would line up to play with Pakistan team at its homeland. The prime minister recounted his childhood memories regarding the cricket game and the tips which were given to him for improving his batting.
He said that scarcity of playgrounds was the main issue, which were usually occupied by teams of grown-up people. He assured that playgrounds with allied facilities would be constructed at all the union councils to offer facilities to the young budding players. He mentioned a particular incident of his childhood when they were forced to leave Railways playground.
“Never felt so much pain on the Panama leaks or JIT, as we had felt at that time over our forced expulsion from the ground,” he quipped. Expressing his resolve, he said Pakistanis were the conquerors of all fields and if Almighty Allah’s support continued, they would emerge successful in future as well.
The prime minister lauded the performance of the national team and addressed them as leaders, heroes and the prime minister of the country. He said that they only held titles but the players like them were the real heroes who had made the nation proud. “Like the whole nation, I have the same desire to meet you,” he added.
The prime minister also praised the PCB chairman by narrating his long time acquaintance. He thanked the PCB chairman for apprising the gathering about his performance in a friendly match held in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1990 during the Commonwealth summit. “I scored 36 runs and remained not out by hitting boundaries in a friendly match played by UK premier and Maldives president, besides other heads of the state,” he added.
The prime minister fondly recollected that he could not tolerate being targeted with a bouncer and often retaliated with a boundary or sometimes, it ended with his departure. He said that his daughter Maryam recorded his message for the team during his stay in Jeddah in which he had felicitated them over the final win.
Earlier on the arrival of the triumphant team at the PM Office, national songs were played. Classical maestro Raees Ahmed and Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan also cast a spell with their superb performances. In his comments, Pakistan team captain Sarfraz Ahmed credited team’s collective efforts and nation’s prayers for their superb performance in the tournament.
