KARACHI: Owners of media houses and senior journalists called on Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Governor’s House in Karachi on Monday. During the meeting, different matters of mutual interest including national problems and the troubles faced by the city came under discussion. Talking on the occasion, Sharif said that Karachi was not given attention in the past. K-electric has not fulfilled its obligations with regards to the energy needs of the city and the people of Karachi are facing difficulties due to lack of electricity. Despite that, two closed plants have not been operated, he said, adding, “I have supported to improve the supply of electricity to Karachi in a meeting. The fault is not of the people of Karachi and uninterrupted supply of electricity should be ensured to them.” He said that electricity plants have been set up in Punjab with the indigenous resources and the electricity produced by these plants is being supplied to the national grid. He said that the hustle and bustle of the city of Karachi has to be restored and for that purpose, ‘we are ready to extend cooperation to everybody’. The Chief Minister said, “We have to move the country forward by performing our duties as patriotic Pakistanis. It is not the time to differ but an opportunity for unity and cohesion. It is my purpose that the future federal government should reserve funds for the development and prosperity of Karachi and these funds should be utilised in a better way so that Karachi can be developed in the real sense. The incumbent government has taken unprecedented steps for the promotion of agriculture and betterment of the farming community.” Speaking at a conference held in the city on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Sharif said the mega project was not limited to any one of the provinces. “It is a gigantic project for the whole of Pakistan. It’s not a project of building roads and bridges only but a broader initiative to connect different continents, regions and countries,” he said, adding that CPEC would have to be transformed into a huge development project for the future which will benefit the 22 crore people of Pakistan. In fact, CPEC has become a game-changer and this mega project has opened new avenues of cooperation in Pak-China friendship. “We are happy that the lion’s share has been given to the province of Sindh,” he said and added that speedy work was going on the Thar Coal Project due to the CPEC. “Let us join hands and work harder with commitment to make Pakistan a role model in the world. We should take full benefit of the opportunity and work collectively to make Pakistan a modern welfare state,” he said. He was speaking at a session at the conference organised jointly by the Ministry of Planning and Development and Dawn Media Group. The Punjab CM recalled that after general elections of 2013, he went to China under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to hold discussions with the Chinese leadership for energy projects. “The energy crisis had badly affected the economy and every other sector in Pakistan then. The Chinese leadership understood Pakistani problems, especially our energy needs and helped us in an hour of trial. There is no doubt that China is a trust-worthy friend and it has always helped us selflessly.” Sharif said that he is a great admirer of Chinese development model. “Mutual cooperation can be further enhanced by initiating necessary economic steps through the belt and road initiative. Pakistan and China are moving side by side in the journey of development and prosperity. Our goal and objectives are the same. The friends and enemies of Pakistan and China are also the same,” he added. Senator Mushahid Hussain, Chairman P&D Punjab and others addressed the CPEC summit. Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair, Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chinese Ambassador Mr. Yao Jing, economic experts and officials of Chinese companies also attended the seminar. Later in the day, the CM met a delegation led by acting president of the PML-N Sindh Shah Muhammad Shah at the Governor’s House. Talking on the occasion, he said that people of Sindh had realised that PML-N was the only party that could solve their problems. Also on Monday, he met a 30-member delegation of PML-Q Sindh chapter led by the party’s general secretary Matti-ur-Rahman. The delegation announced to join the PML-N saying that it reposed full confidence in Sharif’s leadership. Published in Daily Times, April 24th 2018.