DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif asserted on Tuesday that the coalition government has successfully steered the country out of economic crisis despite facing unprecedented challenges during its tenure.
Speaking at the inaugural and groundbreaking ceremony of eight development projects in the energy and communication sectors, the Prime Minister highlighted the difficult circumstances the government encountered, including a devastating flood, inflation, IMF pressure, and political crises.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the unanimous determination of all coalition government parties to prioritize economic stability over politics, which ultimately helped the country overcome the crisis. He also pointed out that the government’s efforts in promoting wheat production resulted in record yields, saving billions of dollars. However, he criticized PTI Chairman Imran Khan for exploiting self-created situations for political gains at the country’s expense.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to overhaul the faulty power transmission system, which causes annual losses of over Rs 400 billion to the national exchequer. He pledged to curtail government expenses to break the cycle of dependency and spoke about the comprehensive Pakistan Green Initiative aimed at propelling the country towards development and prosperity.
Mega Development Projects in Pakistan
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Chief of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for his personal interest in the region’s development. He mentioned that many mega projects initiated by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif were hampered by the PTI government, hindering economic progress.
Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir emphasized that development projects, which were suspended between 2018 and 2022, were now being prioritized and completed. He credited the Prime Minister’s intervention for adding 5000 MW of electricity to the national grid within just 16 months.
Minister for Communications Asad Mehmood reiterated the coalition government’s commitment to creating a road link between the Gwadar Port and Central Asian countries under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He highlighted that projects initiated by Nawaz Sharif were being restored and completed in various areas, particularly in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Musadik Malik highlighted the government’s efforts to ensure sufficient and affordable energy supply to the people. He mentioned the recent discovery of around 270 mmcf gas worth over $1 billion in various parts of the country, with a significant portion already injected into the system.
The ceremony was attended by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali, National Assembly Deputy Speaker, provincial ministers, and government officials.
