Karachi sojourn: Dictatorship always halts progress, says PM

PM says the masses have always elected political parties that have performed well for them

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that the country and its people can prosper only under democracy and all the challenges can be overcome in a democratic setup.

“People should decide who they want to vote into power,” he said while addressing the inauguration of Pakistan’s first international bulk terminal for coal, clinker and cement at Port Qasim on Saturday. “A government that doesn’t perform will be sent packing by people.”

Citing military dictatorships in the part, Abbasi said the country could never prosper without democracy. “Dictatorship always halts progress of a country,” he added. Although there have been shortcomings in democracy, the process would improve if allowed to flourish.



The prime minister claimed that the PML-N government has completed the projects launched during its tenure. Other governments announced projects that were completed by four to five succeeding ones, he said. The Lowari Tunnel project was inaugurated 45 years ago by late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto but was completed in the tenure of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at a cost of Rs28 billion, he recalled.

He said the current government had added 10,000 megawatts to the national grid in four years. This was the only government which had tried to resolve the issue of electricity for coming years, he said.

He said motorway projects covering thousands of kilometres had been initiated and the Karachi-Sukkur-Multan sections would be completed by next year.

Prime Minister Abbasi said the newly-built terminal was environment-friendly and had been completed in four years.

Present on the occasion, the terminal’s CEO Shariq Siddiqui said 12 ships carrying coal had docked there and the estimated cost of its construction was $285 million. It could handle 12 million tonnes of coal annually and 30,000 tonnes per day, he said. The project, he added, was partly financed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a private sector arm of the World Bank Group.

According to Siddiqui, the Pakistan International Berth Terminal Limited (PIBTL) – under a 30-year build, operate and transfer agreement with the Port Qasim Authority – had built its own jetty equipped with two coal ship unloading cranes and a cement and clinker loading crane. The dedicated terminal was dredged 13 metres deep and capable of handling ships of up to 65,000 tonnes.



Abbasi praised Haleem Siddiqui and Shariq Siddiqui of the PIBTL, a public limited company sponsored by the Marine Group of Companies, for making much-needed investment in a sector crucial for national development.

He said problems with regard to extension of railway tracks for transporting coal from the berth to power plants would be addressed without any delay. He said the PML-N would continue to facilitate all local and foreign investors.

Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair and Minister of State Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal were also present.

The prime minister also visited the Fauji Oil Terminal and Distribution Company during his visit to Port Qasim. He was briefed about progress on the second LNG terminal at the port and was informed that it would begin operation next month. The prime minister said all gas consumers would get uninterrupted supply till December.



Karachi projects

The prime minister also chaired a meeting at the Governor House where he was briefed about the ongoing projects funded by the federal government and critical infrastructure projects required in Karachi, especially for freight movement from the ports to upcountry.

He was informed that work on the Lyari Expressway was 97% complete and its north-bound section would be operational by the end of the year.

The meeting was informed that the first phase of the K-4 water project for the city would become operational next year and the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System by the end of current financial year.

The prime minister urged the stakeholders at the local, provincial and federal levels to resolve coordination issues for proceeding ahead with the critical transport infrastructure projects in Karachi. He also expressed concern over environment hazards in the city and sought proposals to address the issue.