PM inaugurates 1,263MW power plant in Punjab

Project in Jhang to generate 10b inexpensive units every year

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday inaugurated various development projects across Punjab, including a 1,263 megawatts thermal power plant in Jhang with a capacity of generating 10 billion inexpensive units annually.

Speaking to the media at the soft launching of various development projects here, the premier lauded the services of all provincial governments in ensuring peace and maintaining law and order.

He emphasised that the incumbent government believed in serving the nation.

The premier launched different projects, including the Rs50 billion Medical City, Rs52 billion National Health Support Programme, and Rs30 billion Population Welfare Programme.

He also broke ground for SL-3 Lahore Ring Road project and Shadara to Kala Shah Kaku Metro Bus extension scheme.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the thermal power plant in Jhang, the prime minister maintained that PTI chief and deposed premier Imran Khan had neglected the completion of the gas-fired Haveli Bahadur Shah power plant because of his animosity with the PML-N leadership and the country had to pay an additional whopping amount of Rs77 billion against its original cost of Rs74 billion at that time.

PM Shehbaz continued that the project was to be inaugurated in 2019 but it was stalled because of the “criminal negligence” of the PTI government and its “lack of interest”.

He added that a huge amount of the national wealth went down the drain, causing huge losses to the poor country.

Read PM hails SIFC initiative as ‘engine of prosperity’

“Who will be held accountable for such a blunder? It is the continuation of a saga of 75 years for which they were all responsible,” he quipped.

The premier also raised the question that why the judiciary did not take suo motu notice of such negligence.

He added that he had no intention of victimising the rival party and did not want injustice for anyone.

However, he stressed the need for transparent accountability of all those who were responsible for such failures whether it happened during a dictatorship or democratic regime.

“Justice should be dispensed without any victimisation,” the premier continued.

The prime minister pointed out that nations across the world moved forward with such accountability.

The premier, who is also the PML-N president, said the incumbent rulers felt ashamed while carrying a “begging bowl” around the world because of the failures of the previous government.

“It was a huge mishap of our history [the PTI government], which is already strewn with such unpleasant incidents. If we do not change this attitude, we cannot aspire to achieve anything,” he added.

Citing the example of China, he observed that it had now become the world’s second-largest economy.

The premier also said Japan and Germany bounced back economically from the destruction of world wars because of their commitment, devotion, and determination.

“Let us gird up our loins and work hard for the country’s progress as peeping into the past would be useless. Let us wash away the blots of the past,” the prime minister continued.

He also expressed his resolve to revive the country’s economy by eliminating poverty and unemployment.

The premier said under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the PML-N government had initiated Haveli and Baloki power plants with the capacity to generate 1,200MW each, besides, a 1,150MW Bhikki project in Punjab.

He added that the medical city project would be completed with all the required equipment and be at par with the world’s renowned healthcare projects, similar to Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI), which he said was ranked best among Asia’s top medical facilities.

The premier informed the participants of the ceremony that the federal and provincial governments would be jointly executing the project.

About the 8km SL-3 Lahore Ring Road, PM Shehbaz said one part of the thoroughfare was left, adding that its completion would facilitate a huge number of commuters by minimising vehicular congestion.

He continued that the extension of the Metro Bus Project would serve thousands of commuters on a daily basis, directing the authorities to complete it within three months.

The prime minister also regretted that because of the PTI’s sit-ins at D-Chowk in 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan was postponed.

“These are the facts that the nation must know about the four-year rule of Imran Khan, who played havoc with the national economy,” he claimed.

The ceremony was attended by the Punjab governor, caretaker chief minister, federal and provincial ministers, parliamentarians as well as other officials.

Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman also highlighted the performance of the coalition government during the past 15 months in which mega projects of public interest were launched. APP