Opposition in panic mode, says Nawaz

Says the ruling PML-N will also form govt in K-P after 2018 general elections

KOHAT: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claimed on Friday that since opposition parties were feeling threatened by his government’s ‘consistent journey of economic stability and development’ they were resorting to marches and protests.

The premier also said that the opposition was in a state of panic, fearing their political demise was imminent in the 2018 general election.

“Pakistan is about to become a developed state and the same is worrying the opposition, knowing that its politics will end if the government’s successful journey continues uninterrupted till 2018,” Nawaz told a public gathering at Kohat’s Qila Ground.

The prime minister, who arrived in Kohat on a day-long visit to lay the foundation stone of a gas supply project, said the people realised which political party had in fact taken steps for their prosperity.

“By Allah’s grace, the Pakistan Muslim League-N will again come into power in the next polls and will continue its agenda of serving the masses,” he told the audience chanting slogans in his support.

The PM’s speech was, however, also partially marred by the protest of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and their subsequent scuffle with the ruling party’s supporters that left many injured.

Nawaz took a swipe at the PTI-led Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government, saying ithad vowed to’bring revolutionary change’ but had never focused its energies on the uplift of the province.  “In my view, there should be a ‘change’ in the K-P and we are going to bring about real change,” he said.



The premier said the world is acknowledging the economic turnaround of Pakistan and the recent appreciation by head of International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a compliment for the country.

“The development projects will end poverty and bring opportunities for the youth in the country.”

Nawaz said the country today was making rapid progress and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will usher in an era of prosperity in the country. He once again vowed to completely end the load-shedding by 2018.

Paying tribute to the sacrifices of the armed forces, police, administration and the nation, he said terrorist incidents in the country had gone down to a large extent. “Efforts are in progress for the rehabilitation of displaced persons of the North Waziristan military operation,” he added.

During the address, the prime minister announced a development package for Kohat including projects of gas provision, highways and roads, a hospital, railway service and a university’s campus for women.

He performed ground-breaking of the gas project costing Rs3.9billion, which, he said, will benefit the locals of Kohat, Khushal Garh,Shairkot, Alizai, Nusrat Pur, Dhoda and Chorluki.

He said a highway to be constructed from Kohat, Jand and Pindi Ghaib would link to motorway, reducing the travel distance up to Islamabad and Peshawar.  “Also, Kohat-Karak-Sarai Gambela road will be expanded and will also touch the motorway,” he added.

Nawaz said he had directed the National Highways Authority (NHA) in this regard and the construction would start soon. He also announced to set-up a state-of-the-art hospital in Kohat, where the poor patients would be treated free-of-cost.

He also announced setting up a women campus of Kohat University in the city. The PM said a rail-car service would be initiated on experimental basis from Rawalpindi to Kohat and vice versa.

The PM announced grants of Rs200 million and Rs100 million for Kohat’s district and tehsil councils, respectively. Nawaz said no government in the past ever considered launching these development projects for the people of Kohat.

Meanwhile, PTI lawmakers and worker who were leaving for Islamabad stumbled upon the PML-N gathering and chanted slogans against the premier. This led to a brawl between the PTI and PML-N workers, several of which were injured and later shifted to hospital. The police also baton-charged the protesters and used tear gas. Three journalists of the different media group also got injured during the brawl.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2016.