Daily Times

MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Friday said the PML-N government was strong and stable and the party would contest 2018 polls with a strong portfolio on the basis of several completed development projects. Addressing a gathering here after inaugurating the 436 million US dollars 147 MW Patrind Hydropower Project (the Project) on river Kunhar, he dismissed speculations that the government would not complete its term.

“We are not political orphans and are here till June 15, 2018 and contest the next polls with a strong portfolio,” he said.

“We do not believe in hollow slogans, as we have done work on the ground which is a clear evidence of our commitment to serve the masses.” He said the next government would again be of PML-N as the people know that this was the only party that selflessly serves the masses.

Abbasi said it was the Nawaz Sharif government that took the initiative of bringing to life redundant power projects that were shelved in the past. He said even a cursory glance of power production from year 2000 to 2013 would show that nothing significant was achieved. The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the initiation of commercial operations of the Patrind Hydropower plant and its timely completion. He hoped that the IPP project would help meet the demand of electricity for Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

He termed it a landmark achievement for Pakistan and Korea cooperation and appreciated Daewoo for its long term commitment with Pakistan. He said Pakistan today was self sufficient in power generation and said the current output exceeded the demand.

He hoped that it would be sufficient to meet the demand during the next summers as well. He regretted that the previous governments failed in meeting their obligations and it was only the PML-N government that realized its responsibility and managed to produce 10,500 MW of electricity in four and half years of time. He said several other projects were in different phases of completion and hoped the power generation would further go up. He cited the projects of Lowari Tunnel and Diamer Bhasha Dam that despite several promises and inaugural plaques failed to make any headway. He said the projects of Gwadar and motorways were today a reality and playing a key role in national economy. He also mentioned the Super Highway between Karachi and Hyderabad and said it was ignored even by five prime ministers from Sindh. However it was only the PML-N government that took up the initiative of expanding it.

Published in Daily Times, December 16^th 2017.