Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to reject the policies of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and assured that his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government would develop the province on a par with Punjab.
Addressing a public gathering in Mansehra, the prime minister recalled that the former PML-N government, led by Nawaz Sharif, laid a network of roads and initiated several other development schemes, therefore, the nation remembered him as the builder of Pakistan.
The prime minister criticised former prime minister Imran Khan for damaging the country’s economic and other interests, calling him an arrogant, who hoodwinked the masses by telling lies and taking U-turns, and increased unemployment and poverty in the country.
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Shehbaz asked the people of K-P to vote for the right leaders, who believed in prosperity and development instead of those who spread chaos and anarchy. The PML-N government, he added, would respond to the “abuse of Imran Niazi” by initiating development projects.
“If you want Peshawar to be developed like Lahore and entire province like Punjab then you have to choose between those who want prosperity and development of the country and those who made false promises and took U-turns,” he said, referring to PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
Also read: Businessmen denounce fuel price hike
“K-P would have to reject Imran Niazi, who is arrogant, tells lies and takes U-turns,” the prime minister said, adding that Imran hoodwinked the people and took inflation to the highest level in his three-and-a-half-year tenure, increasing poverty and unemployment,” he added.
“Imran Niazi did not fulfil his promise to build 5 million houses and create 10 million jobs,” he said, adding, on the contrary, millions of people lost their jobs during the tenure of the last government. “Nawaz Sharif developed Pakistan, while Imran Khan damaged the interests of the country.”
Shehbaz recalled that Nawaz constructed the Hazara motorway and the people remembered him as the builder of Pakistan. “Nawaz Sharif worked day and night to put Pakistan on the path to progress and prosperity,” he added.
UNBREAKABLE BOND.
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Defending Friday’s fuel price hike, Shehbaz blamed Imran for deliberately reducing the prices for political gains. “Imran Niazi reduced prices of petrol, when he knew that he was being ousted through constitutional means, so he set a trap for the incoming government,” Shehbaz said.
The prime minister told the gathering that he had to increase the prices of petrol with a heavy heart but at the same time he had announced a subsidy of Rs28 billion per month to 85 million people, as the government was aware of their problems.
“Every family under the scheme will get a subsidy of Rs2,000 per month on petrol purchase,” he said, adding that the utility stores across the country, including K-P, would sell a flour bag of 10 kilogrammes for Rs400,” he said.
Referring to the peaceful holding of the local bodies elections in Balochistan, he said that the voter turnout was 30-35%, which was a very encouraging development. “It proved that people in the far-flung areas of Balochistan have trust in the democratic process and in the environment of security,” he added.
The prime minister announced a medical college, a separate electric supply company and development projects worth Rs1 billion for the Hazara region. He said that a scheme of free laptops would be announced in the next budget for the brilliant youth.
‘Absolutely not’
Addressing the rally before the prime minister, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz said that the current prime minister would change the destiny of Pakistan with the support of the masses. She urged the people to support Shehbaz Sharif for taking tough decisions to fix the country destroyed by Imran.
Maryam said the people of K-P had rejected Imran’s long march by saying “absolutely not” due to his politics of allegations and agitations. “He [Imran] used the K-P government’s resources and taxpayers for his party’s gatherings and rallies, aimed at spreading chaos,” she added.
“Imran had gone into hiding after his flopped long march. PTI workers suffered in hot and humid weather during the long march while their leader enjoyed cool atmosphere in air-conditioned rooms in Banigala and Peshawar,” she said.
Likewise, she added, the PML-N leadership could not be blackmailed through agitation and long marches that was why PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif rejected the PTI’s offer of reviewing its decision of long march if he announced the election date.
Referring to the alleged leaked audio clip, Maryam said Imran begged Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to save his government ahead of the no-trust motion. “Revolution does not land from parachute…Revolution does not come by taking U-turns,” she said, criticising Imran.
PML-N leaders Amir Muqam, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Sardar Shahjahan, Captain (retd) Safdar Awan and Sardar Muhammad Yousaf also addressed the gathering. Earlier, the prime minister also inaugurated a number of development projects for the area.
(WITH INPUT FROM APP)
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