Inaugurates Metro Bus service in Multan; says elements trying to
hamper development and progress are incurable; asks opponents to
focus on serving people instead of foul-mouthing and hurling baseless allegations; Shahbaz says govt completing projects with full transparency; claims PM never misappropriated even a single penny
MULTAN: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday the days were not far when those opposing the country’s march towards progress and prosperity and hurling baseless allegations would be exposed before the nation.
Addressing a big crowd here at the BZ University auditorium after inaugurating the Metro Bus service, he vowed to stake claim for the 2018 polls on the basis of his government's performance and asked his detractors to concentrate on serving the people instead of foul-mouthing and hurling baseless allegations. He assured the masses that the government will continue to execute development projects for their welfare.
The 18.5 kilometer project, costing about Rs29 billion, has been completed in 18 months. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also spoke on the occasion and claimed that the prime minister had never been involved in misappropriation of even a single penny in his public service career, twice as a chief minister and three times as the premier. “I shall be responsible if someone proves it with evidence,” he said emphatically.
Speaking with a fair amount of confidence and authority, Nawaz said the elements trying to hamper the work of development and progress were incurable. None of the speakers took the name of any opponent political leader but the crowed kept shouting “Paagal hai Imran Khan Paagal hai (Mad, mad Imran is mad)”.
Nawaz said the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) was making a real New Pakistan by undertaking mega development projects to serve the common man. He assured the people that he believed inhe believed in delivering real projects for them and didn’t believe in selling half-baked ideas for petty political gains.
“I haven’t come here to stage a sit-in, to disrupt any development project, to block roads, or level baseless allegations, but I am here to unveil a development project for the masses. Those who claim of building a new Pakistan should come to Multan to see how to build New Pakistan. The city would soon be linked to the modern motorway network of the country that would help further boost the national economy.”
Nawaz said the politics of Pakistan stood changed today and only those parties will survive that were committed to serving the nation. He said a new expressway would also link it to Faisalabad and onwards to Islamabad in almost half the time while another six-lane Multan-Sukkur link would connect the city to Karachi soon.
The prime minister said a network of roads was now connecting all remote areas of Balochistan and would make travel safe, easy and cheap. All the provinces would be connected through new road links.
Nawaz said only those who had no idea of progress and development were distracting the nation daily through baseless and unfounded accusations. “Islam also forbids leveling of accusations against others, particularly on issues on which they do not adhere themselves.”
He said by the end of this year 10,000MW electricity would be added to the national grid. “It is unprecedented progress only in a short span of three years of the PML-N government. Pakistan has never produced more than 15,000MW in the past.”
He said the government had spent Rs110 billion for acquisition of land for Diamer-Bhasha dam alone and said once completed it would generate 4,500MWs.
He said soon the days of power outages would be over soon. He said the tariff for power would also be lowered to pass the benefit on to the people. The prime minister said soon Prime Minister National Health Insurance Scheme would be launched for Multan to help the poorest of the poor pay for expensive medical treatment on government expense.
He said the poor families had to sell away all their possessions to pay for medical treatment in the past, but now the government would pay for it. He congratulated Shahbaz Sharif and his team for completing the project in minimum possible time of 18 months and termed it a highly laudable step.
He hoped the rest of the project would be completed at the earliest. Nawaz said Metro transport system was the best possible service for the people of Multan. “There was a suggestion for doubling the fare in Multan from Rs20, but I turned down the proposal as the government would keep on subsidizing the travel.”
He said the government would incur a cost of billions to benefit the masses, but it was nothing when compared with the ease of transportation for the masses. The prime minister said receiving the public love was a source of strength for him.
“It is the love of people that keeps me going,” he said. The prime minister had to stop his speech midway as a charged party worker went on cheering the slogan: “I love you Nawaz Sharif for long. Your love empowers me and I also have the same sentiments for you,”
The prime minister responded to the charged supporter. Nawaz regretted that some elements wanted to create obstacles in the way of progress and development.
Shahbaz Sharif said the project was part of vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and he believes that roads and communication networks are the key to success of every nation.
He said even the critics of Lahore-Islamabad Motorway now acknowledged its benefits. He said Rs4.5 billion had been spend on acquisition of land for the project out of Rs28 billion cost of the project.
He said the prime minister had to his credit a string of development projects spanning across the country that were aimed at generating electricity, storing water, and building roads and infrastructure.
Shahbaz Sharif said the completion of project had put an end to all the speculations about the commitment of government to the uplift of the South Punjab. He regretted that the opposition on the other hand had done little but to set up rumour mongering factories that were churning out nothing but baseless allegations.
The chief minister said the quality of Multan Metro was much better than that of Lahore and Rawalpindi. He said that the federal government was now fully funding the Green Line project for Karachi. He regretted the criticism of Orange Line project in Lahore and said Chinese investors were now working on circular railway projects in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar.
