SHARAQPUR/ LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday inflation and price-hike in the country would not end through witchcraft but hard work by the government as well as the people of Pakistan.
He admitted that price-hike had burdened the poor people, but these difficulties could be overcome with collective hard work, dedication and sincerity.
He urged all the political parties once again to agree on unanimous charters of economy and democracy to evolve a consensus over national issues to steer the country out of crises.
Addressing a ceremony in the honour of Danish School graduates in Lahore on Saturday, he said no difficulty could hinder the progress of the country “if we all sit together and end our differences”.
The PM said that despite having trillions of dollars mineral resources, Pakistan’s economy had been dependent on the International Monetary Fund bailout packages. “India has not gone to the IMF since 1991, how many times have we gone?” PM Shehbaz lamented. He said the government had to “beg” for the IMF bailout package as it had become inevitable to avert the looming default. He added that though the country had successfully averted the default threat, the IMF’s stand-by agreement should be treated as a breather to put the economy on the path to sustainable growth. “Let’s [sign] a charter of economy. Let’s work together on the charter of democracy,” the PM said, asking all stakeholders to bury the hatchet to work for the betterment of the country.
Earlier on Saturday, the prime minister urged the people to consider the facts involving “pathetic and poor performance of corruption-tainted government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf with that of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, which had always been the pioneer of mega development projects”.
He was addressing a ceremony after performing stone-laying of different significant development projects, which included 19-km-long Lahore Bypass linking Kala Shah Kaku with Lahore-Karachi Motorway at a cost of Rs35 billion. Later, he also laid the foundation stones of Esaan (Sharqpur) Interchange at Abdul Hakeem Motorway and Quaid-e-Azam University campus and soft launch of construction of a scout college.
The PM said they would accept public mandate in the upcoming general election and if the PMLN, under the leadership of its supremo Nawaz Sharif, got another opportunity to serve the country, they would restore the real image of Pakistan. “Had the PMLN been in power during the four years of PTI rule, the country would have had a different destiny,” he added.
He also questioned the PTI chief Imran Khan claims of recovering $300 billion “plundered wealth” stashed outside Pakistan within ninety days, saying the previous government did not get any single penny during its four years in power.
Referring to Rs50 billion amount recovery scandal, he said, the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) had investigated the issue and after an out-of-court settlement with the other party, decided to return the amount to the government exchequer, but it did not go to State Bank of Pakistan rather went to the Supreme Court “where Niazi’s government became a party”.
A closed envelope was presented before the cabinet in this regard without showing or discussing it with the members and approval was accorded, he added. “It was a huge crime as to how the national exchequer was plundered,” he said, adding the BRT Peshawar, Toshakhana, Malam Jabba, sugar scams etc., were the other major corruption cases of PTI.
Separately, PM Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said that Pakistan was blessed with boundless gifts of natural beauty, ranging from majestic snow-capped mountains to exquisite sandy beaches and referred to fascinating Sapat beach in Balochistan province. On his Twitter handle, the prime minister said, “It has much to offer to those who have the appetite to gel with nature. Among these captivating destinations is Sapat Beach, a true marvel nestled in the province of Balochistan.” He also posted a short video highlighting the natural beauty of Sapat beach, which is located in Lasbela district, approximately at a distance of 200-km from Karachi and 20-km from Kund Malir beach. Its uniqueness is the formation of coastal sand rocks called Bujih Koh.
