LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said the PML-N would pursue a policy of coordination and consultation among institutions instead of confrontation, if his party came into power again.
Addressing a press conference at a local hotel, he said given the challenges faced by the country, consultation among the institutions was necessary. “In a country where democratic institutions are weak and martial law was imposed four times, the only way forward is consultation and coordination. No single institution can move the country forward in this geo-political situation and I have played my role in this regard,” Shahbaz added.
Responding to a question for not being vocal enough against the confrontational mode of politics regarding certain institutions, he said the God and the history were a witness to the number of times he had openly advocated his position that confrontation was not going to solve anything.
Listing his government’s achievements in Punjab, he said establishment of 200 new colleges and 19 universities was something ordinary.
The PML-N president said Rs 682 billion had been saved in development projects. “Rs 682billion of the poor nation are saved. This saving in development projects is the pride of my life and every penny has been utilised judiciously. That is why other countries say that proposals should be submitted in Punjab carefully because Shahbaz Sharif is sitting there,” he remarked.
When asked about Reham Khan’s book, he said he did not want to reply the question. “One person tweeted that money has been taken and then said that I have said it without giving any evidence,” Shahbaz remarked.
To a question about Kala Bagh Dam, he said the project was feasible which would tremendously benefit the economy but nothing was important than national unity, adding, “Sometimes a big sacrifice has to be made for national unity.”
“Touching the Kala Bagh Dam project without the approval of four provinces would be a cruelty with Pakistan. [On the other hand] Bhasha-Diamer Dam project will produce 4000-MW of electricity and store water and will also stop de-silting in Mangla and Tarbela,” he noted
“This project will be helpful in stopping floods. If an opportunity is granted then we will construct the Bhasha Dam,” he promised, adding that the PML-N government had already spent Rs 100 billion to acquire land for the project.
Shahbaz said the PML-N government had succeeded in putting the country on the road to progress despite Imran Niazi’s sit-ins, chaos, allegations, hurdles and negative politics. The PML-N government under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif was successful solving problems and brining substantial reduction in terrorism and giving economic boost to the economy,” he added.
He said the Punjab government using its resources established power projects which were supplying electricity to the entire country.
“In 2012, Imran said why provinces are not generating electricity after the passage of 18th Amendment. At that time PPP was in power in the Centre and there were hurdles for us in generating electricity, but when we got the chance we installed electricity projects. On the other hand, Mr Khan said he would make country self-sufficient in electricity but he only generated minus six megawatts of electricity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he remarked.
“We have worked hard instead of giving them answers of their baseless allegations and nation can easily compare our work and facts will also become crystal clear,” said the PML-N president.
He said the recent report of UNDP had made it clear that Punjab was far of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other provinces in education and health.
Separately, former PPP MNA Tariq Shabbir Mayo called on Shahbaz and announced his decision to join the PML-N.
Shahbaz welcomed Tariq Mayo and his colleagues in the party and said the pivot of PML-N’s politics was public welfare. “That is the reason, PML-N is the most popular and largest political party in the country, he added.
Tariq Mayo said the PML-N was the genuine representative of masses, which had fulfilled the obligation of public service.
It may be added here that Chaudhry Shabbir Mayo, father of Tariq Mayo, too twice elected as MNA on the PPP ticket.
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