Coalition put Pakistan on right track: PM

ISLAMABAD:

 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has commended his coalition government for steering the country in the right direction within a short span of time, despite facing political conspiracies from opponents.

In a televised address to the nation, Shehbaz declared that the coalition government will complete its tenure in August and hand over power to a caretaker setup, dispelling any speculation about an extension.

Shehbaz had made a similar announcement on Wednesday, but he did not clearly state whether the National Assembly would be dissolved on completion of its term or a few days before.

At the outset of his televised address, the prime minister recalled that he was given the “sacred responsibility” of running the country in April last year, adding: “We will hand over this responsibility to the caretaker set-up in August 2023.”

The prime minister stated that the coalition government was a “one of its kind” in Pakistan’s democratic history, which was formed for a brief period of time yet it faced the toughest challenges and difficulties.

“During the short period of one and a quarter years, due to our collective wisdom and prudent policies, we cleared the rubble of destruction and economic landmines laid by the previous government,” he said.

“This period of our government was a journey of moving from the destruction towards construction, economic stability, helping flood victims, relief to inflation-hit people, and revival of freedom of speech and national integration,” he added.
Shehbaz identified the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, agreed upon by the previous government, as a significant hurdle to economic revival.

He attributed the near-default situation to the previous regime’s deviation from the IMF agreement and acknowledged the efforts made to resume the program despite political opponents creating hindrances.

Shehbaz expressed gratitude to friendly countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE for their unwavering support during challenging times.

The prime minister underscored the need to regain the country's lost glory through collective wisdom and perseverance.

He announced the finalization of a comprehensive national plan for economic revival and highlighted the establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to attract significant investments from Gulf countries.

Shehbaz assured the nation that the federal government, provincial governments, and armed forces are adopting a whole-of-government approach to ensure the success of the national agenda.

He expressed satisfaction with the overall economic situation, citing improving ratings by international agencies and the UN's positive assessment of human rights in Pakistan.

Reiterating his determination to break the cycle of reliance on foreign aid, Shehbaz urged the youth to contribute to the country's development and prosperity. During a visit to the under-construction Nishtar Hospital II, he emphasized the importance of completing public welfare projects without politicization for the benefit of the people.

Shehbaz expressed confidence in completing the hospital's expansion by September 30 under the supervision of Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and proposed the establishment of a Medical City in the area.

(APP WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)