BAHAWALPUR:
Hitting out at his political nemesis, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday to first bring progress and prosperity in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the province ruled by the PTI, before ‘raising the slogan of Naya Pakistan’.
“First, focus on making K-P a model of development and progress from where your party has received votes. The province is witnessing an unprecedented poor state of governance,” Nawaz said while addressing flood-affected people at Mauza Bait Bakhtiari of Uch Sharif in Ahmedpur Sharqia tehsil of Bahawalpur.
Activists of the PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek have been camping at Islamabad’s D-Chowk since August 16, calling for the incumbent prime minister to step down and promising what they call a corruption-free, true egalitarian country.
However, Nawaz accused the leaders of the two parties of ‘double standards’, saying that their activities were confined to their custom-built ‘air-conditioned containers and palaces’ in Islamabad.
The prime minister said that he was thankful to all the political parties which supported democracy and constitutionalism in the political crisis triggered by the protest sit-ins. “A handful of politicians who don’t want the country to progress and prosper are pushing for the resignation of the prime minister,” he added.
Nawaz called upon these politicians to shun ‘politics of negativity’ and join the government in its efforts for a stable and prosperous Pakistan. “If they care for the poor, they must come forward and join the people in distress and get knowledge about their problems,” he added.
Such politicians are not interested in solving the problems of the poor since their own children enjoy a better lifestyle abroad, Nawaz said. “They don’t want schools and hospitals for the common man. They only want the resignation of Nawaz Sharif, who enjoys the support of millions of people of Pakistan.”
In a lighter vein the premier used the cricketing terminology to hit out at the PTI chief, who is a cricketer-turned-politician, saying that he didn’t want to hit boundaries and sixes. “I’ve come out of that younger age,” he said. “Others have also passed that age but still they want to hit boundaries and sixes. But, sometimes they are caught at the boundary and sometimes in the covers.” Nawaz’s remarks triggered laughter in the crowd.
The prime minister vowed to set an example of development and progress during his five-year constitutional tenure which, he said, would usher in an era of prosperity. The country would be rid of lawlessness and crime, he added.
About relief and rehabilitation activities in the wake of the recent devastating floods, the prime minister said that the ongoing survey of damages to houses and crops would give a proper estimate of the losses. He added his visit to Uch Sharif was aimed at sharing the pain of the stricken people and providing them all possible assistance.
Nawaz said his heart beat with the flood-affected people and he would not abandon them in difficult times. “My conscience does not allow me to sit and watch the situation from Islamabad, neither [Punjab Chief Minister] Shahbaz Sharif will restrict himself to Lahore while the people suffer from floods,” he added.
The prime minister said that his government was making sincere efforts to overcome the energy crisis which he described as the biggest challenge confronting Pakistan.
He said the previous governments did nothing to address the problem of load-shedding but the incumbent government was committed to overcome the chronic crisis in its tenure. He said that Dasu and Bhasha dams would generate 9,000 megawatt electricity which would easily overcome the shortfall of 5,000MW in the country.
About the development projects for Bahawalpur, he said that a 500MW power plant would provide electricity to the entire Bahawalpur. Similarly, the planned Lahore-Karachi Motorway would pass through Bahawalpur, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2014.
COMMENTS (5)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Nawaz sharif is right in saying that IK should first deliver in KPK and build new KPK first. Every party makes tall claims when it is not in government, and after coming in power all make excuses. In my opinion IK will be another face of Nawaz sharif and Zardari. IK should build some pressure on government by criticizing on its polices, rather than wasting the time of nation by demanding resignation. IK also knows that he cant take resignation from NS now. Ro Imran Ro.
Go ahead Nawaz Sharif and make Pakistan economic tiger.We trust you.
If progress and property comes through Jungla buses, bullet trains, laptop schemes and taxi schemes then close already extremely poor universities. I never heard a single word from NS about education and research, that is why I say calling NS a leader is ignorance.
These guys eat and sleep in the name of fake democracy. laughable democracy. what about the millions chanting Go nawaz GO. and infact the bottom line is Go nawaz Go
If Nawaz sharif was really sincere with the nation of Pakistan, he wouldn't have stayed in a hotel that cost US 80,000 per day. Action speaks louder than words. Noora your time is near to leave. Hopefully, they will do his ahtasab and get all the money back to people of Pakistan.