Courtesy call: ‘Development linked with political stability’

Shahbaz calls on President Mamnoon Hussain in Lahore

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Thursday that development was inextricably linked with political stability.

He was speaking to President Mamnoon Hussain in Lahore. Various aspects of the Pakistan-China agreements inked during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to China and the law and order situation in the country were discussed during the meeting. Sharif said agreements regarding billions of dollars had been signed during the visit. He praised China for being an all-weather friend of the nation. Sharif said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government would leave no stone unturned to implement the projects as they could enable Pakistan to overcome the energy crisis.

The chief minister said the projects were not being financed by external borrowing and China would make the requisite investment. Sharif said the government had placed the economy back on-track and economic indicators were improving. He said the recent floods had wreaked havoc in the Punjab but the government had managed to conduct the greatest relief effort in the history of the nation with the cooperation of various departments.

He said the government had announced a historic Rs16-billion relief package for those affected in the floods.



The chief minister said they were being transparently compensated. Sharif said the second phase of the distribution of financial assistance would be completed in a few days.

The chief minister said the government had ensured the quick and transparent completion of development projects in various sectors. He said the social sector was being reformed and a monitoring system had been formulated with the help of information technology.

Sharif praised Hussain’s contributions to democracy and said he had always fought dictatorships.  Hussain praised the chief minister for taking various initiatives to develop the Punjab. He said the progress made in the province under Sharif was exemplary.

The chief minister also hosted a luncheon in the president’s honour. Population Welfare Minister Begum Zakiya Shahnawaz, Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman and Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Afzaal Bhatti were also present on the occasion.

Sharif had earlier received the president on his arrival from Islamabad. Population Welfare Minister Begum Zakiya Shahnawaz, Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman and Food Minister Bilal Yasin were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2014.