Asif Zardari falsely trying to take credit of CPEC: Shehbaz Sharif

MALAKWAL: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while addressing a public gathering on Thursday in Malakwal has stated that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was initiated in Pakistan under Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government and that Asif Zardari is falsely trying to take credit of the multi-billion dollar initiative.

Criticising Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, the chief minister said that if indeed Zardari was behind CPEC than at least some of the projects should have been initiated by his government. Shehbaz stated, “Zardari says that he signed for CPEC, but then why no projects under it were initiated in Pakistan?”

Taking a jibe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Shehbaz said that Imran lies to the nation and levels false allegations.

“I have taken Imran Khan to court for his baseless allegations, he doesn’t appear before the court,” Shehbaz added.

The PML-N leader demanded court to constitute a bench to immediately hear cases related to the allegations levelled by the PTI Chairman.

Talking about the performance of PML-N government, Punjab CM stated said that his party fulfilled the promise of ending load shedding all over the country under the dynamic leadership of Nawaz Sharif.

He further added that the country’s economy was at its worst when the (PML-N) government took charge of the government but today all across the country development projects are being initiated.

Punjab govt has ensured culture of merit in province, says Shehbaz

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday presided over a high-level meeting in which the overall development process and the progress on different steps taken for the provision of various facilities to the people were reviewed in detail.

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that good governance has been promoted in the province and the government has ensured a culture of merit and transparency at the grass-roots level. The development projects completed with commitment are examples of transparency and quality. He said that the people stand relieved owing to the mega projects that have been completed while spending billions of rupees. The masses have been blessed with gifts such as the Daanish schools, metro bus system, educational and healthcare reforms and latest infrastructure, he added.

Meanwhile, the process of service delivery has been expedited by promoting information technology. In fact, the Punjab government is speedily moving towards attaining the goal of a prosperous Punjab, said the chief minister. He said that merit reigns supreme, and expressed satisfaction that thousands of recruitments have been made purely on merit.

There is no other such example of steps taken for the development of the social sector in the past 70 years of the country’s history as the service providing institutions have now been made compatible with the requirements of the present age. He said that the Punjab government has written a new history by saving billions of rupees in development projects and all the federating units have been included in the welfare programmes of the Punjab government to further strengthen the spirit of the federation.

Punjab government has created thousands of new job opportunities by promoting trade and investment activities, he said while adding that farmers have been fully facilitated by the steps taken for the promotion of the agriculture sector. The green revolution has been laid down by providing interest-free loans to the farmers and by the introduction of the historic Kissan Package.

It is sanguine that international organisations have also appreciated the utility and success of the Punjab government’s development programmes. The masses are a witness to the improvements in healthcare and educational facilities and the government is fully committed to further expedite the journey of public service. Public service is the core agenda of the Punjab government and every step by the government aims to bring public welfare, concluded the chief minister.

Chairman Planning and Development (P&D) Jehanzeb Khan gave a briefing regarding the implementation of the development programmes, while Provincial Ministers Malik Nadeem Kamran, Mansha Ullah Butt, Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Punjab government spokesperson Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Chief Secretary, IG Police, ACS (Home) and different secretaries also attended the meeting.