MULTAN: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on his opponents, pointing to his administration’s development projects as truly representing the notion of a ‘Naya Pakistan’.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Multan Metro Bus Service he promised that the government would continue to execute development projects for the welfare of the masses. He added that expanding the metro bus network would provide modern transport facilities to commuters.
Nawaz said that Pakistani politics stood changed today and only those parties invested with the spirit of serving the nation would survive in the political arena.
He expressed his regret that some elements in Pakistan wanted to create obstacles in the way of progress and development.
Sharif further noted that some parties had made big slogans promising to carve out a new Pakistan; however infrastructural improvements like modern transport facilities were not available in the province governed by them.
“We are not here for any political rally, we are here to give you your rights,” the prime minister said, to loud applause from the audience.
Taking aim at his opponents, the Prime Minister asked, “Where is Naya Pakistan?”
“Come to Multan if you want to see Naya Pakistan,” he said, adding that no one had thought of initiating the metro project in Multan before.
The premierpointed out that the Multan metro project had been completed in just 1.5 years by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He added that the motorway would also soon come to Multan.
The Prime Minister said the Hyderabad-Karachi motorway would be completed this year with a six-lane motorway from Peshawar to Karachi built soon.
“Those who are abusing and taking part in dharnas should first see what they themselves are doing,” he added. “The day is not far when their own secrets and actions will be exposed in front of the whole world,” he added.
Nawaz Sharif claimed that 10,000 MW of electricity would enter the country’s system this year. He promised that the government would end load-shedding by 2018 and claimed that factories that would supply power were being set up all over Pakistan to provide electricity to the masses.
Nawaz also spoke about other motorways and projects in the pipeline, promising greater development for people in the near future.
“This is for the very first time that all four provinces of Pakistan are being joined together,” he said. “There is a network of roads being set up in Balochistan while power projects are being installed in Hub and Karachi’s Port Qasim,” he added.
He promised a health scheme for the impoverished people of Pakistan, claiming that the scheme would be made available to the whole country. Nawaz assured the people that once the health scheme was launched, it would ensure that parents would not have to withdraw their children from schools or sell off their assets to ensure their children are provided adequate medical treatment.
The Prime Minister also took a ride on the metro bus following the inauguration. Its 18 kilometres long track would begin from BahauddinZakariya University and end at KumharanChowk, connecting 21 stations out of which 14 were situated on flyovers while seven were located on land routes.
The project was completed at a cost of Rs 28.88 billion.
Authorities claim that in its first phase 35 buses would operate on the route providing transportation to 95,000 people every day.
The metro bus project began in Multan in 2015 and it was expected to be completed in a year. However financial constraints and the import of equipment caused a seven-month delay. During this stretch of time citizens had to brave traffic jams and broken roads.
However, citizens now feel that the addition of the metro bus service has beautified their city, Project Director Sabir Sadozai noted.
