Way forward: Pakistan needs wise heads, says Nawaz

Premier vows to bring ‘real’ change in K-P

HARIPUR:

In a veiled reference to Imran Khan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said the country needs a politically wise leadership for addressing national and international challenges rather than those who take U-turn on all issues.

The premier was speaking at the residence of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President Pir Sabir Shah in Sirikot near Haripur on Thursday. He was accompanied by K-P Governor Mehtab Ahmed Khan, federal ministers Pervaiz Rasheed, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Khawaja Asif and Sardar Yousuf, and other party leaders, including Muhammad Safdar and Amir Muqam.



PM Sharif had gone there, according to party insiders, to persuade Shah to take back his resignation, tendered at the time of the Senate elections. Both sides, however, avoided discussing the issue.

Without naming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the premier said the government had faced massive criticism during the elections and the sit-ins but it continued pursuing its goal of bringing prosperity and development to the country. He indirectly criticised the ruling party in the K-P, saying the people have witnessed no change let alone a revolution as their problems were still not addressed. “The PML-N has the ability [to change things] which is evident from its security and economic policies,” he added

He promised the PML-N would bring about real change in the K-P, as it was committed to development with the same spirit of the 90s era. He also asked the party leadership to gear up efforts for strengthening the party and winning seats in the upcoming local bodies elections.

PM Sharif said the country had made a remarkable turnaround in economy and the biggest agenda of his government was to end electricity shortage by 2017, when 10,000 megawatts would have been added to the national grid and there would be no more power outages.

He said during the next three years the country would witness real development and prosperity with new universities, economic development and improved relations with India.

The PM paid rich tributes to the sacrifices of the armed forces for eradicating terrorism from the country. Referring to the situation in Karachi, he said incidents of target killings and kidnappings for ransom had been reduced substantially and routine life in the port city would soon return to normalcy.

He added the situation in Balochistan had also improved significantly.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2015.