Bad governance has brought the country to the verge of disaster:Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that corruption, poverty, loadshedding, terrorism, adulteration, bad governance and incompetence have brought the country to the verge of disaster. He said in the year 2011, Punjab was faced with the worst dengue virus in history. He said the spirit with which the politicians, heads of institutions, doctors, paramedics and other segments of the society fought dengue virus is again needed to defeat those dengue viruses with which Pakistan is confronted with at present. He said by giving examples of Husainiat and Yazidiat and through jugglery, the destiny of the nation cannot be changed. He said sincerity and hard struggle is required to change the direction of history and to make Pakistan a country as was envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. He said we can never progress with the aid and charity of Aghyaar, therefore, we would have to rely on our own resources and break the begging bowl.

He was addressing a seminar “Shukriya Shahbaz Sharif” regarding anti-dengue campaign arranged by Lahore Citizen Community Forum in a local hotel, here today. Special Assistant on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Chairman Lahore Citizen Community Forum Mian Tahir Javed and former British parliamentarian Ch. Muhammad Sarwar also spoke on the occasion. Members Assembly, office-bearers of Lahore Citizen Community Forum and members as well as a large number of people belonging to all segments of the society attended the seminar. Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab was faced with worst dengue virus in the history in the year 2011 and 21 thousand persons were affected while 300 died. He said parliamentarians, heads of institutions, senior doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, students, traders and members of civil society participated in the efforts to combat dengue virus. He said, with the grace of Allah Almighty and collective efforts we succeeded in eradicating dengue from Punjab. He said dengue virus was the biggest challenge, for which we did not have necessary awareness. He said, with the outbreak of dengue, the whole provincial machinery came into action. He said spray and medicines were imported from India by sending officers there, while blood test machines were imported from China, Germany and Europe by air and emergency units were set up to treat dengue affectees. He said experts were called from Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand and dengue virus was eliminated with collective efforts. He said dengue virus is prevalent in countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand for the last many years, affecting thousands of persons and resulting in loss of precious human lives. He said we overcame dengue virus within a short period of one year with the help of Allah Almighty and collective efforts of Assembly Members, heads of institutions and officials as well as people of different walks of life for which all segments of the society deserve appreciation.

Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif further said that corruption has also become a dengue like disease in the country and politicians, generals and aristocracy has been involved in loot and plunder of national resources. He said loot and plunder of national resources is going on in Islamabad by Zar Baba Forty Thieves, while bad governance, poverty, inflation and energy crisis have made the lives of the people miserable. He said the same zeal is required to bring the country out of its problems and difficulties which was displayed against dengue virus. He said last year, the country was faced with energy crisis, due to which he and his companions decided to express our solidarity with the common man by sitting in a tent for performance of official responsibilities. Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that how can those who lead a luxurious life abroad leaving the people of their country at the mercy of natural calamities like floods, earthquake and dengue virus talk about changing the destiny of the nation, eradication of corruption and bringing about a revolution. Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that one requires hard work, sincerity of purpose, honesty and commitment for achieving this end. He said change in the country can never be brought about with fake sloganeering, speeches and jugglery. He said he believes if we can eradicate dengue virus, Pakistan can also be purged of all other evils like corruption and bad governance. He said Pakistan has become a country whose rulers are running about in the world carrying a begging bowl in their hand. He said Pakistan was not made to become such a country because it was envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal as a country where Muslims of the subcontinent could live honorably in accordance with their beliefs and for which lakhs of Muslims laid down their precious lives. Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that time has come to shun such aid of Aghyar which undermines national sovereignty. He said if today we adopt the motto of hard work, honesty and sincerity, we would not have to wait for decades for a change in the country.

Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif distributed commendatory certificates among the heads of different departments, staff and people of various walks of life who had rendered excellent services in anti-dengue campaign. Chairman Lahore Citizen Community Forum Mian Tahir Javed and former British parliamentarian Ch. Muhammad Sarwar presented certificate and shield to Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif­.