Will accept public mandate in upcoming general elections, says PM Shehbaz Sharif

SHARQPUR (APP) - Prime Minister Muhammad 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-Nawaz (PML-N) which had always been the pioneer of mega development projects.

Addressing a ceremony after stone-laying of different significant development projects on Saturday, he said that 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 development projects which included 19km Lahore bypass linking Kala Shah Kaku with Lahore-Karachi Motorway at a cost of Rs35 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 Muhammad Nawaz Sharif as ‘a builder of Pakistan, man behind ending loadshedding, 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. If the PML-N was in the government during the four years of PTI’s rule, the country would have a different destiny," the prime minister regretted.

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 90 days and said the PTI’s government did not get any single penny during the four years of its rule.

Referring to Rs50 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. He said that he could not sleep due to fears of Pakistan being at the verge of default, but with the grace of Allah Almighty, Pakistan was now, on its right direction.

He declared that if the PML-N got another opportunity to serve the country, they would spread a network of laptops. He further said that price hike had burdened the poor people, but these difficulties could be overcome with collective hard work, dedication and sincerity.

The prime minister also underlined the priorities of his government including agriculture development, information technology, exploration of minerals etc to achieve progress.