Party meeting : ‘Ignoring Nandipur project was criminal’

Shahbaz says the plant would become operational in May.

LAHORE:

“The government has taken tough decisions to strengthen the economy,” Chief minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Wednesday. 

He was addressing a meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) office-bearers and workers. MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, Minister Asif Bha, MNA-elect Muhammad Uzair Malik and former MNA Sumera Malik were present.

The chief minister congratulated Malik on his success in NA-69 victory.



He said pilferage of billions of rupees had been detected in the crackdown against electricity and gas thieves.

He said the economy was in tatters due to poor planning and “criminal negligence” during previous governments.

He said the incumbent government was keeping a check on corruption. He said no large scale corruption case had surfaced in the last seven months.

The chief minister said the Nandipur power project had been ignored by previous governments. He said the government had been forced to spend additional Rs30 billion on the project.

He said Nandipur power project was one of the worst examples of negligence and corruption of the former government.

He said the new government revived the project upon assuming office and persuaded the Chinese company to resume work.

He said the power plant would generate 125 megawatts electricity from May.



He said work was also being undertaken on coal, hydel and solar generation of electricity. He said agreements had been signed with several foreign companies to increase power production.

He said a huge power generation from coal in had been announced.

He said the government was very serious about ending the menace of terrorism and extremism.

He said he was confident that terrorism and electricity crises would be overcome.

Hamza Shahbaz Sharif said the people of the country had shown their confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said the government would continue to serve the masses under his leadership.

Newly elected MNA Muhammad Uzair Malik said he was humbled by the confidence showed in him by his voters.

Office-bearers and workers of the PML-N paid tributes to the chief minister for the development and welfare projects and said he had won the hearts of the masses through selfless service. They said thy would continue to serve the PM.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2014.