LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said economic condition of Pakistan is far better than it was in 2013 and economic indicators are also encouraging and the foreign exchange reserves have reached record level of $23 billion in country’s history.
The chief minister expressed these views while addressing a ceremony of Export Trophy Awards 2016 under the aegis of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Chief Minister’s Office Wednesday.
He said although Pakistan was facing extremism, energy crisis and other serious challenges, hard work of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his team was yielding results and the country had been put on road to progress. No doubt it is a big achievement of the PML-N government, he added.
Shahbaz said, “Pakistan belongs to all of us and we have to develop it jointly. We have to move forward for achieving a commendable place for the country in the comity of the nations”. He said Pakistan would achieve its goal only through hard work and honesty. He said a lot of time has been wasted and we have to move forward by learning a lesson from our past mistakes. He said unfortunately those staging sit-ins and indulging in politics of anarchy had wasted precious eight months of the nation and hampered the journey of progress. He said no cruelty and enmity to Pakistan could be greater than it, he added.
He said the elements staging sit-ins had again appeared in different shapes but people had not supported sit-in politics earlier nor would do so in future as they had become aware of their designs. He said people know that those staging sit-ins were opposing development and their sit-in and protest politics was harmful to the masses.
New job opportunities could be created through strengthening the economy and increasing exports. He said, “we should pledge to make the country developed by increasing exports through hard work.”
The chief minister distributed trophies among exporters on best exports of their products. He said the function was splendid and held in the honour of those great Pakistanis who were playing an important role in strengthening country’s economy by increasing exports. He appreciated the active role of Pakistan’s premier chamber, LCCI, in increasing exports.
He appreciated and congratulated great exporters who increased their exports in difficult circumstances. He said Chinese president was due in Pakistan in September 2014 to sign development projects but these projects were delayed due to sit-in politics. He said when Chinese president came to Pakistan in April the following year; the projects of historic investment of $46 billion were signed. He said it was first time in country’s history that these projects were immediately implemented and round- the-clock work was being carried out speedily on these projects. Shahbaz said opponents of development started propaganda that loans had been taken from China with heavy mark-up. He said these elements did not think that due to energy crisis there was darkness in country and industries were shifting from here, resulting in loss to the country.
He said under CPEC, work was being done on development projects throughout the country speedily. He said 1320 MW Sahiwal coal power plant was going to complete in a record period of 23 months and there was no example of completion of a coal power plant of this capacity in such a short time in the world. He said decision was made for setting up 3,600 MW gas based projects in Punjab on his proposal in a meeting chaired by the prime minister last year. Out of these, 1200 megawatt project is being set up by the Punjab government through its own resources, he added.
The chief minister said the companies of China and America were working on these projects which had set up Guddu Power Plant six years ago. At that time, this project was set up at a cost of $9 lakh per megawatt while 3,600 megawatt projects were being established in Punjab for $4.5 lakh per megawatt, he added.
He said no one pointed finger at transparency of these projects as no person went to court regarding these projects. He said China supported Pakistan in difficult circumstances and gave unprecedented package of investment of $46 billion. He said those staging sit-ins should mend their ways, quit negative attitude and play their due role in the development of the country. The chief minister said, “we will work collectively for changing the course of country’s history which will result in happiness for the nation.
Referring to Orange Line Metro Train, Shahbaz said this was a splendid project to provide best and quality transport facilities to the masses. He said those who went to the court against this project did not even see Shalamar Gardens. He said lawyers of the PTI and people of ‘Save Lahore Movement’ levelled allegations of corruption in the project in the high court. He said the Lahore High Court issued stay order with regard to historical heritage in its decision. However, it did not write even a single word regarding corruption in its decision of three hundred pages. He said if corruption of even a single penny was proved in the project, the people could hold him accountable. The chief minister said, “we have great respect for the decision of the Lahore High Court regarding Orange Line Train Project. However, the Punjab government will file an appeal against the decision in the Supreme Court.”
The LCCI senior vice president said the Lahore Chamber had started the process for encouraging exporters. He said exporters were brave and hard workers who were providing job opportunities to thousands of people and their encouragement is every necessary.
Punjab Investment Board Chairman Muzaffar Khawaja said increasing experts of Pakistan, creating new job opportunities and promotion of investment was mission of Punjab Board of Investment and all possible steps were being taken in this regard. Punjab Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha said economic stability was impossible without increasing exports.