Govt believes in strengthening institutions: Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: The ruling party supremo Nawaz Sharif, expressing satisfaction over the performance of administration under Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, has urged the government to complete development projects on a faster pace and concentrate on the commitments made with the people for their well-being by the PML-N.

He expressed these views during a two-hour-long meeting with Abbasi in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at his Jati Umra residence on Tuesday noon. The guests also had lunch there.

A press release issued after the meeting said wide-ranging issues of national importance and the overall situation was discussed during the meeting. The efforts of the government to continue its development agenda also came under discussion extensively. Abbasi briefed the participants on his recent interactions with the PML-N parliamentarians and members.

Later, after returning to the federal capital, Abbasi held a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah – the first between the two at the PM’s Office. They discussed the overall situation of the province with particular focus on development projects and law and order.

Assuring the chief minister of complete support of the federal government, the prime minister stressed that the formula of resource distribution, after adoption of 18th Amendment and the National Finance Commission Award, put a greater responsibility on the federating units for meeting the aspirations of the people at local and provincial levels.

The federal government played more than its due role in the last four years for addressing the major infrastructure and power deficit in all the provinces, he added. Earlier at the PM’s Office, Abbasi paid rich tribute to the leadership of Nawaz in a meeting with the Senate members belonging to the PML-N.

He said Nawaz steered the country out of the troubled waters and put it on the path of unprecedented progress and prosperity. The PML-N government firmly believed in the rule of law, upholding the democratic ideals and strengthening the institutions, he added.

The prime minister said the real challenge for the parliamentarians was to build on the gains made during the last four years.  He said the PML-N government under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif put the country back on track and enabled it to return to the path of progress and prosperity by confronting the challenges of bad economy and the deteriorating law and order situation.

The prime minister said the PML-N had given the concept of corruption-free government and it was indeed a matter of great pride that not a single case of corruption in development projects had surfaced during the last four years.

Abbasi especially highlighted the accomplishments made in the areas of economy, power sector, timely completion and implementation of various development projects and ensuring internal security.

Discussing various policy initiatives relating to security, economy and development, the prime minister said the current government’s performance was better than the previous ones. He said the PML-N government focused on much-needed development projects that catered to the needs of the people. The government policies also projected Pakistan's positive image at international level and restored confidence of the international community, especially foreign investors, which had been acknowledged by leading international organisations.

The delegation comprised Leader of the House Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Pervez Rashid, Special Assistant to the PM on Political Affairs Dr Asif Kirmani, Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan, Minister for Narcotics Control Lt-Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmizi, Minister for Statistics Kamran Michael, Chaudhary Tanvir Khan, Ghaus Muhammad Khan Niazi, M Hamza, Lt-Gen (r) Abdul Qayyum and Nisar Muhammad Khan, Saleem Zia, Sardar Yaqoob Nasir, Saud Majeed, Agha Shahzaib Durrani, Javed Abbasi, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Kalsoom Parveen, Najma Hameed, Nuzhat Sadiq and Raheela Magsi.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat also called on Abbasi at the PM Office. "Professional matters pertaining to Armed Forces of Pakistan were discussed during the meeting," a statement from the PM Office said.