Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday once again called for a charter of economy and democracy for the sake of continuity of policies and for the prosperous future of the country.

Addressing a ceremony to award laptops to talented students of the Danish Schools System, the prime minister regretted that the false allegations of thefts and corruption had divided the nation and spread venom.

He said during the past 15 months of the coalition government, they had faced issues like floods, price hikes and an IMF agreement but he had never witnessed such a bitter divide in the society throughout his life. The prime minister said that in different parts of the world, elections were being held, but the worst divide which had been created in Pakistan, had destroyed the country’s progress and prosperity.

He stressed that a charter of economy and democracy would ensure continuity in policies, irrespective of change of governments, as had been pursued by different countries of the world.

The prime minister called upon all to realize the issues confronted by the country.

Terming the IMF’s agreement as ‘a breather for the country’, he stressed that they should convert it into an opportunity, adding that it was also a moment of introspection for all.

“They should bury their differences and become one and if they decide it, then nothing could hinder the country from moving on the path of progress and prosperity. We have to resolve to equip young generations with the latest education, especially the poor and deprived classes,” he added. The prime minister maintained that Pakistan was blessed with natural resources, but these could not be fully explored rather the country had paid huge amounts on litigation abroad.

He said the disparity among different segments of society was not permissible in the country conceived by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the people to consider the facts involving pathetic and poor performance of corruption tainted government of Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaf with that of Pakistan Muslim League-N which had always been the pioneer of mega development projects. He said they would accept public mandate in the upcoming general elections and if the PML-N under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif got another opportunity to serve the country, they would restore the real image of Pakistan. The prime minister was addressing a ceremony after stone laying of different significant development projects which included 19Kms long Lahore bypass linking Kala Shah Kaku with Lahore-Karachi Motorway at a cost of Rs 35 billion.

The project will create about 27,000 jobs opportunities. The prime minister also broke ground for expansion of Lahore-Karachi Motorway Saggian road and main Ravi bridge which would ease vehicular traffic, help save fuel and create jobs opportunities. Later, he also laid foundation stones of Esaan (Sharqpur) interchange at Abdul Hakeem Motorway and the establishment of Quaid Azam University campus and soft launch of construction of a scout college. Declaring former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as ‘a builder of Pakistan, man behind ending load shedding, launching of multi dollars China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and a builder of a vast network of roads and putting the country on path of rapid progress, he said Nawaz Sharif aspired to transform the country into ‘an Asian tiger’.

Unfortunately, his rule was ended in 2018 through a huge conspiracy hatched against Pakistan, the prime minister regretted. If the PML-N was in the government during the four years of PTI’s rule, the country would have a different destiny, he added. He said during the years 2013 to 2018, under Nawaz Sharif’s rule, the country was making progress by leaps and bounds, but afterwards in the PTI’s government, the country was pushed into chaos. The prime minister said with a change in the regime, all the opposition leadership was sent to jails on basis of fake cases, false allegations of thefts and corruption were levelled, even sisters and daughters were sent behind bars during the PTI’s rule.

“The development pace spurred by PML-N government was halted,” he regretted. The prime minister also questioned Imran Niazi’s claims of returning back 300 billion dollars stashed outside Pakistan within ninety days and said the PTI’s government did not get any single penny during the four years of its rule. Referring to Rs 50 billion amount recovery scandal, he said, the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) had investigated the issue and after out of court settlement with the other party, decided to return the amount to the government exchequer but it did not go to State Bank of Pakistan rather went to the Supreme Court where Niazi’s government became a party. A closed envelop was presented before the cabinet in this regard without showing or discussing it with the members and approval was accorded, he added.

“It was a huge crime as to how the national exchequer was plundered,” he said, adding the BRT Peshawar, Toshakhana, Malam Jabba, sugar scams etc were the other major corruption cases of PTI. The prime minister said the UK crime agency had also carried out investigation against him for two years over false allegations and at the request of PTI’s government but later, gave him clean chit. Citing difficulties regarding the IMF’s agreement, the prime minister said China, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates stood with Pakistan like rocks. The prime minister also underlined the priorities of his government including agriculture development, information technology, exploration of minerals etc to achieve progress. He reiterated that life could no longer be led on foreign loans and stressed that the country people had to decide whether to live with respect or on begging.