Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday reiterated his resolve to uproot the menace of terrorism by using all resources available in Pakistan.

The premier, while addressing an event in Dera Ismail Khan, said that he will take all possible steps to control terrorism in all its forms in the country. “Security forces bravely combatted the terrorists in Bannu. Acts of terrorism have once again seen a rise in the recent weeks. Those who embraced martyrdom in Bannu are Pakistan’s heroes. The nation will remember them,” the premier said, speaking at an event following the launch of development projects in DI Khan.

He told the attendees about his visit to the Rawalpindi Hospital to meet soldiers injured in the Bannu operation. The prime minister also spoke about the spate of terror attacks in Balochistan a day earlier. “Another terror attack took place in Balochistan. We are working hard to prevent them. We will employ all resources to uproot terrorism to bring peace in Pakistan,” Premier Shehbaz added and assured the people of the eradication of extortion and other crimes.

Shehbaz Sharif expressed the resolve that despite myriad economic challenges including the post-flood situation, the coalition government was determined to steer the country out of the current challenges including

The post-flood situation, the coalition government was determined to steer the country out of the current issues. “These challenges might be manifold but 220 million people of the country should not get Worried, the coalition government with the support of its partners will steer the country out of the challenges.” He said for the achievement of progress and prosperity, they would have to work hard with devotion. “Nations always faced difficulties and the coalition government will put Pakistan on the path of development only through hard work,” he added. Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Advisor to PM on Political Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam, Amir of Jammiat-e-Ulema Islam-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman, relevant authorities and a large number of people were present on the occasion. The prime minister said that he had laid down foundations for the commencement of mega development projects in the backward areas of the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He mentioned that during his previous visits, these areas were inundated with flood water and the people of the areas had faced immense destruction, from Nowshera to Swat, Kalam, Kohistan, DIkhan and Tank districts were badly affected by floods. Destruction in Swat was caused mainly due to man-made structures in the middle of course of river, he said and criticized the provincial government of PTI for its flawed policies.

The prime minister sarcastically referred that the PTI provincial government always talked about introduction of an efficient system, but the people had witnessed the crumbling of that system whereas the government’s blunders in this regard could not be neglected. He said however, with the collective efforts made by all the governments to overcome the flood situation, but still different areas in Sindh were under flood water and the people in Gilgit Baltistan were shivering from biting cold. The prime minister said that the federal government had allocated a huge amount of Rs90 billion for the flood-affected populace and each affected family was given Rs 25,000 besides, ensuring provision of medicine and food. The magnitude of the disaster was huge, he said, adding on 9th January a donors’ conference would be held in Geneva and they would remind the world that the climate induced calamity was the result of global carbon emissions by the developed nations. Pakistan had less than one percent of carbon imprints, but it had been pummeled by the extreme weather due to carbon emissions by the developed countries, he opined.

The prime minister further assured the nation that the coalition federal government in collaboration with the provincial governments, would not rest till the complete rehabilitation of the flood-affected people. The prime minister said that construction of Hakla-Yarak motorway which had hugely reduced the travel time from Islamabad to DIKhan had been conceived and implemented by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He said the whole country had been connected with a network of motorways and Nawaz Sharif solely deserved credit for the launch of such mega projects, adding that he had laid the foundation stone of the last segment of Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway section recently. The prime minister reiterated that dream of Nawaz Sharif for a prosperous Pakistan would be fulfilled. He regretted that during the past PTI’s government, all these uplift projects, initiated during PML-N government, were brought to grinding halt. Citing the Hakla-DIKhan motorway, the prime minister said it was part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)conceived during 2017, but the PTI government put these projects into cold storage, thus affecting the development and progress of the country. The prime minister also regretted that due to faulty policies of PTI’s government, the friendly nations including China were dismayed.

In a veiled reference to former prime minister Imran Khan, he said that PTI leader had brought disrespect to the country after selling out the precious gifts donated by foreign leaders. They gave these precious gifts as a sign of fraternal ties with the people of Pakistan, but the former ruler sold them out in open markets, he added. The prime minister said that when he had taken oath, he did not realize the economic disaster towards the country was heading to as Pakistan was on the verge of default, but due to the efforts of the coalition government and all other relevant institutions and prayers of the nation, they saved the country. He said still they were faced with economic challenges. Pakistan suffered a loss of $30 billion due to floods and these woes were multiplied by global inflation and recession, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the exorbitant price of gas and oil in the international market. He regretted that Imran Khan had no concerns for the public welfare and his past government had never accorded any priority. The prime minister said the coalition government has still eight months’ tenure left and after that period, elections would be held in the country. In the general elections, the public would decide, he said, whether they would vote for the man who sold precious watches and has the habit of levelling false allegations or for those people who served them. He further expressed the optimism that they would change fate of Pakistan, as it was destined for fast-paced progress and prosperity.