ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday told his allies the summary to dissolve the National Assembly would be moved on August 9, it is learnt.
According to sources, the premier stated this at a dinner he hosted for his coalition partners. However, PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was conspicuous by his absence. He had an important meeting with the PM in the evening. Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf was also present.
“A summary to dissolve the National Assembly will be moved to the president on August 9,” the sources said, quoting the prime minister. As per Article 58 (1) of the Constitution, the National Assembly will stand dissolved after 48 hours automatically if summary is not signed by the president.
The reception was attended by parliamentarians from all the parties represented in the both houses of Parliament.
In his televised addressed, the prime minister said the coalition government faced such difficult challenges which could not be narrated in words when it took over on April 11, last year. “We were expecting problems in view wrong doings of the previous government and an atmosphere of hatred created by it,” he said, adding that unprecedented flood last year and unprecedented price hike crippled the government which followed political anarchy created by Imran Khan with evil mind. He said that along with failing in handling internal affairs, the Imran Khan regime also played havoc with the country external front deteriorating relations with friendly countries. “Imran Khan embarrassed friendly country like China by levelling allegations of corruption in execution of projects with them,” he said, adding that Allah Almighty knows how the government mended relations with China.
The prime minister said that it was due to deposits received from China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE that Pakistan was saved from default. “We cannot forget support from China which extended 4.5 billion dollars support in the last three and half months,” he said. He said that now when the country have been saved from default, there is need to conduct revolutionary surgical operation to turn around economy.
He said that the coming caretaker government would also be facing big challenges and it would be make or break for them. He pointed out despite all the challenges, the government with support of its allies overcame big challenges.
PM Shehbaz told his coalition partners that he would begin consultations with Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Raja Riaz on a caretaker prime minister from Friday (today). He was hopeful that the consultation would end within two to three days.
Addressing the guests earlier, PM Shehbaz said during their 15 months in power, the coalition government saved the state. About the caretaker setup, the premier said they would try to bring in a person who was acceptable to all stakeholders and added that his government would end in the coming days. The aim is to reach a consensus between the government and opposition over the caretaker premier.
Addressing a ceremony after he performed opening of Bhara Kahu underpass here, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the government and institutions should work together for development and progress of the country. PM Shehbaz said that he was being labelled establishment’s man but as a matter of fact, he never met Army leadership for personal gains rather the motive behind interactions had always been country’s betterment and national interests.
“I am being labelled as establishment’s man but I do not care about such taunts as I never met any Army Chief for personal interests but the motive was country’s development,” said the prime minister.
He mentioned that in the last 38 years, he met several Army Chiefs but motive behind meetings was never personal interests. “The only motive behind those interactions in my political career was to ensure that the government in Islamabad and establishment in Rawalpindi are on one page for country’s development and to serve poor masses who live in tough conditions,” he said, adding that they wanted to take the country to the destination for which lacs of Muslims sacrifices to get rid of Hindus.
Shehbaz recalled that people also used to say that he was very close to General Pervez Musharraf. “But what I received was that I along with Mian Nawaz Sharif was sent to Attock fort and then we also remained in Landhi jail during that period and our families were sent to exile,” he said.
The prime minister also spoke high of contributions of incumbent Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir who he met on Wednesday. “He has been very dynamic in activities for welfare of country and its people,” he said. He said that General Asim Munir also extended big support in completion of much important Bhara Kahu project. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurengzeb, ex MNAs Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Anjum Aqeel Khan, Malik Ibrar, National Logistics Cell (NLC) Director General Maj Gen Farrukh, CDA Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal and others were also present on the occasion.
The completion of 5.2 kilometers long Bhara Kahu bypass removes bottleneck in kind of rush at Bhara Kahu town, for commuters travelling to Murree, Galliyat and Azad Kashmir. Started in October, last year, the project was completed by the NLC in 10 months period.
The prime minister, earlier, also performed ground breaking of the Serena Chowk flyover which would be completed with a cost of Rs2.10 billion in 170 days. Shehbaz, however, was not happy with award of contract of Serena Chowk flyover asked the CDA Chairman to conduct re-bidding process. “If this is way for a government organisation to carry out works,” he questioned.
The prime minister said he also remained Punjab Chief Minister for 13 years and never heard name of this company to which the contract of this project was awarded.
It may be pointed out here that the CDA had already awarded contract for infrastructure development of sectors I-12/1, I-12/4 and I-15/1.
The premier pointed out that Bhara Kahu underpass was also vision of his Quaid Nawaz Sharif whose government was toppled through, what he said, worst conspiracy and all the project which he (Nawaz) initiated or planned were stopped.
During his speech, Shehbaz urged the nation to make concerted efforts to make Pakistan regain its grandeur and compete with the world. He pointed out the country’s eastern neighbor had moved far ahead but nothing was to weep or worry about if the nation was resolved to take the country forward as was dreamt by Quaid-e-Azam and pursued by Nawaz Sharif in 1990s.
At the same time, Shehbaz Sharif said the previous governments wasted billion of rupees from the national kitty by impeding public projects.
In this connection, he referred to Haveli Bahadur Shah Power Plant which was stopped despite having spent billions of rupees which otherwise could have been used for public interest project.
Calling the Bhara Kahu bypass’s inauguration a moment of satisfaction, the prime minister said the project would ease the difficulties of travelers of Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa visiting AJK and Galliyat.
He said the project should have been completed years ago but the incumbent government conceived it and managed to accomplish it within nine months despite challenges, including land dispute with Quaid-e-Azam University which was settled through court.
The prime minister said he had given a three-month target for the project completion which was also achievable had there been no challenges. “Giving way to people is also considered a worship,” he said while referring to resolution of land issues with the university.
He said the government completed the Metro Bus Project within no time which had been suspended by the previous government.
He told the gathering that the after the opening of LCs the environment-friendly electric buses were set to reach Islamabad to facilitate the residents of Islamabad. The prime minister instructed the CDA to plant a million trees around the Bhara Kahu bypass, adding that though around 70,000 have already been planted.
He observed that a lot of landscaping work was to be done around the bypass asking the CDA management of to turn Islamabad like Baku.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb recalled the journey of progress marked by determined and resolved efforts by PM Shehbaz during last 15 months. She said the prime minister managed to revive the course of development which was initiated by the PMLN government in its previous tenure but was obstructed by the previous government.
She said within a short span of 15 months, the incumbent government provided relief to the people from across the country, be it free flour distribution or relief works during floods. The prime minister turned the instability into economic prosperity, she added.
She appreciated the prime minister for reviving the journey of economic development that had been initiated by Nawaz Sharif. The minister said she had never seen such massive development works across the federal capital as the residents always yearned to have infrastructure and landscape as was developed by Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore and other parts of Punjab.
She questioned if the incumbent government could execute the projects like Bhara Kahu bypass and others within 15 months, then why those who always criticised others failed to do so during their four years of government. The minister said for public facilitation, all of the Islamabad Metro routes have been linked with airport and residential sectors.
APP adds: Separately, the prime minister launched a Digital Youth Hub portal to provide integrated and one-stop guidance on the youth-related initiatives launched by the government. In his address, the prime minister congratulated the youth on the launch of the facility and assured that the government was expanding Youth Programme across the country as laptops and business loans were being disbursed.
He told the gathering that Rs30 billion had already been disbursed by the banks to youth in the form of business loans. He said Rs80 billion had been specified for youth-related initiatives including IT programs, freelancing, IT incubators and others, besides another Rs5 billion allocated for sports projects.
Shehbaz said he had replicated his idea of an Endowment Fund at the federal level as an Education Endowment Fund had been set up with Rs5 billion funding. He said the facilities like laptops and other funding initiatives were only meant for the high achievers of the public sector universities.
The prime minister asked the youngsters to register themselves at the portal to avail the facilities. He thanked SAPM Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Senator Abdul Qayyum, vice-chancellors, and members of the Youth Parliament for their efforts to uplift youth. He assured the participants of continuing his efforts to empower youth to make Pakistan a great country.
The prime minister told the Azerbaijan ambassador, also attending the ceremony, that a horticultural delegation from his country had visited Islamabad and shared experiences with the CDA which would be replicated in Islamabad.
As the prime minister asked youth representatives to express their emotions, Abdul Hakeem of Youth Parliament and Muhammad Shehzad of Pakistan Youth Council arose to laud the leadership of the prime minister for steering the country out of economic crisis within 15 months period. They spoke against the efforts to fan polarisation in society and urged the youth to utilise their energies for productive causes.
Both of the youth leaders assured the prime minister of their role in the country’s development and resolved to fully back the government in any cause of nation-building.
Special Assistant to PM Shaza Fatima Khawaja told the gathering that the government had allocated Rs5 billion for skill development and as much amount for sports-related programmes. She said the Digital Youth Hub was the culmination of all of the prime minister’s initiatives for the youth he had taken during last few months which were actually the manifestation of ‘Shehbaz Speed’.
She said the portal was the one-stop shop and mobile application providing guidance on all initiatives like laptops, scholarships, and loans. In his address, Senator Abdul Qayyum said the youth of Pakistan were enlightened and read out Quaid-e-Azam’s sayings apprising youth of their responsibilities for national development. He said the country could never achieve progress without skill-training its youth.
He said in its respective tenures, the PMLN government built efficient infrastructure and also forged friendly ties with the international world.
Separately, addressing the ceremony of agreement signing between the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and State Life Insurance Corporation for providing health insurance cards to journalists, media workers, and artists as well as technical workers associated with the film industry, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the introduction of a health insurance facility for journalists and artists was a step forward to achieving the milestone of an equitable Pakistan as dreamt by Quaid-i-Azam. He said the agreement was of utmost importance as it addressed the media men and artists who worked hard, even sometimes during tough working conditions, but remained deprived of basic amenities in their lives.
However, the government would provide them with health insurance coverage through budgetary allocations under the PM Programme.
Calling her a “moving spirit”, the prime minister appreciated the key role of Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb to launch the said insurance facility.
He recalled that during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure, health insurance card was launched on a massive scale, and at that time, the Punjab government also implemented his vision.
He said the health insurance card was a gift for the downtrodden people who could not afford costly medical treatments. The prime minister said no one would have objected to the previous government’s health insurance facility if it was not meant to patronise the private hospitals.
He said the across-the-board facility was misused as even some greedy healthy people misused that card to mint money, in connivance with the hospitals. The prime minister shared that in 2003 he suffered a fatal disease and had to spend around Rs8 million at a US hospital which was in no way affordable for the poor.
He said in order to provide equitable health facilities, Nawaz Sharif had established Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute where 1,000 liver and kidney transplant procedures had been completed.
The facility provides free treatment to the poor and charges the rich ones to help provide cross-subsidy.
In her address, the information and broadcasting minister said that under the historic decision, Rs1 billion each had been allocated for health insurance of journalists and artists. She said as the registration process had already been started, the prime minister would also inaugurate the distribution of health cards by August 7.
She said the health insurance facility was in continuation of the Health Card programme launched by Nawaz Sharif’s government.
She said the government had also made necessary legislation to link the journalists’ salaries with the business of the media entities. The minister told the gathering that health card would cover ambulance service, cardiac and other surgeries. “This is a whole package of the welfare of artists and journalists,” she remarked.
Besides, the government had also recovered Rs120 million of journalists’ salaries from media organisations.
The information minister said the health insurance facility was also the continuity of the prime minister’s efforts to revive the economy and programs like CPEC, BISP, Metro services and health insurance.
Earlier, Principal Information Officer Mubashir Hassan and Executive Director SLIC Shahid Iqbal Baloch signed the agreement for health insurance facility for journalists and media workers.
DEMP Director General Samina Farzin and SLIC Divisional Director Ashar inked the agreement for the health insurance facility to artists and technical workers.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the launch of the state-of-the-art MILGEM Class Warship PNS Tariq was a major step towards self-reliance and indigenisation in the defence sector.
The prime minister, who jointly launched PNS Tariq along with Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz in Karachi, said on a social media platform that the MILGEM project opened new vistas of closer collaboration between Pakistan and Turkiye and would prove to be an enduring icon of our friendship.
PNS Tariq is the 4th Ship of MILGEM Class and the second one being constructed in Pakistan.
The prime minister said that maritime trade activities were going to increase manifold with the growth in Pakistan’s financial and industrial base.
This will create the need for additional capacity to support expansion in the maritime sector, he added.
The prime minister said Pakistan remained committed to developing maritime infrastructure along the coast from Karachi to Gwadar to prepare itself as the future trade and trans-shipment hub in the region.
MILGEM Class Ships will also play a crucial role in meeting our security needs, he remarked.
Separately, addressing a seminar on climate change, the prime minister called for timely decisions and actions, warning that climate disasters could also hit other countries like Pakistan with even no contribution to the emissions.
He urged the international community to stand for the future and work hard as the calamities like flash floods in Pakistan could hit any other country too.
He said Pakistan was among ten countries facing the impacts of climate change despite having no fault.
“We need to stand for our future. We need to work hard. Let us accept the challenge, work out a plan, and not waste time to save generations,” the prime minister remarked.
He said it had been a year since the most devastating floods in history put one-third of Pakistan under water and caused large-scale destruction of infrastructure including millions of acres of standing crops and houses.
He said it was the worst flood he had seen in his entire life as Sindh looked like River Indus flowing all around.
He said despite the government having spent billions of rupees, the challenge was not yet over.
He thanked the friendly countries and donors for timely rescue and questioned what would be the consequences if the country was hit again by a similar disaster.
The prime minister asked what was the fault of the countries like Pakistan which had been facing the crisis of “unknown consequence”.
He urged the international community to ponder over the situation and suggest solutions as the countries like Pakistan could not afford the debt burden.
He said Pakistan was still dealing with the IMF programme with a huge gap between its exports and imports.
“If we have such a terrible natural accident, we need extra money to deal with the situation.
This needs the answer. Come forward with the solid recommendation for implementation in letter and spirit,” he remarked.
On the very issue, the prime minister wrote on a social media platform that the floods had inflicted an overall loss of $30 billion on Pakistan’s economy.
He said Pakistan used the unprecedented floods to warn the world of impending disasters induced by climate change.
“We called for prompt global action and a show of solidarity to help the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts,” he added.
Shehbaz said under the 4RF framework, Pakistan had been working on recovery, rehabilitation and rebuilding of the flood-affected regions.
He said the federal cabinet recently approved a landmark National Adaptation Plan 2023, which would ensure that the country’s policies, infrastructure, and communities were fully equipped to tackle the challenges.
“Together with our partners and friends, we will ensure the success of the climate journey,” he commented.
