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Solid steps are being taken for eliminating extremism:CM Punjab

CM PUNJAB-1Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is facing big challenges but these can be overcome through determination, joint efforts and collective wisdom. He said that we all will have to be united as a nation for expanding tax base, eliminating energy crisis and terrorism.

The Chief Minister said that Pakistan is rich in resources and the best minds have made the country an atomic power. There is no reason that the problems of the country could not be solved but every segment of the society will have to play its fullest role for this purpose, he added.

He was addressing the participants of Security and War Course of National Defence University at Chief Minister’s Office here today. Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah Khan, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Col.(Retd) Shuja Khanzada, Hameeda Waheeduddin, Members National and Provincial Assembly, Chief Secretary and senior officials were present on the occasion. Chief Instructor, National Defence University Maj. Gen. Musarrat Nawaz Malik informed about the aims and objectives of the course while Chairman Planning & Development gave a briefing about the governance and development vision of Punjab government.

Addressing the participants, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that due to the best arrangements of the provinces and federal government, Ashura-e-Muharram remained peaceful throughout the country and police and administration including politicians worked efficiently. He said that the role of Pak Army has also been commendable. He said that Pak Army helped the people during earthquake, floods and other natural calamities.

The Chief Minister said that he was deeply shocked over the tragic incident of Rawalpindi and the entire nation is grieved over this incident. He said that the elements responsible of Rawalpindi incident will be brought to condign justice and a judicial inquiry is being conducted by a judge of High Court whereas a Fact Finding Committee has also been constituted for ascertaining the facts. The Chief Minister said that Pakistan was achieved after numerous sacrifices for the rule of merit, honesty and ability but the incident of Rawalpindi on Muharram 10, has given the message to the entire world that tolerance has ended in our society. He said that this incident is a stigma on the face of country and the culprits involved in this incident will not escape punishment. He regretted that those believing in one God, one Holy Prophet (PBUH) and one Holy Book are killing each other. Shahbaz Sharif assured that indiscriminate action will be taken against the elements involved in Rawalpindi incident. He said that the so-called war against communism in the decade of 80s given us the culture of Kalashnikov, drugs, kidnapping for ransom and smuggling whereas innocent Pakistanis were killed in the war against terrorism. He said that four thousand Pakistanis have sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism which included officers, jawans and children of Pak Army, officers and jawans of police and law enforcement agencies and common citizens.

The Chief Minister said that neither Pakistan can be made strong economically nor improvement can be brought in social sectors without eliminating terrorism. He said that terrorism cannot be overcome only through gun but economic and trade activities will have to be promoted to cope with this threat. He said that just distribution of resources will have to be ensured, disparity between rich and poor will have to be reduced and natural resources will have to be utilized for the welfare of the people. Shahbaz Sharif said that the country can be rid of all problems through untiring efforts and collective wisdom. He said that nepotism, corruption and sifarish culture are problems of the country which can be controlled through the policy of transparency and good governance. He said that transfer of power from one democratic government to other democratic government is a big milestone. He said that democracy is the name of service to the masses, good governance, elimination of corruption and provision of basic amenities to the people. He said that PML-N government is making efforts from the day one for providing relief to the people and resolving their problems.

Expressing his views about the energy problem, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that energy crisis is also a big challenge facing by the country. He said that former rulers did not take any practical step for overcoming energy crisis but also created hurdles in the projects of Punjab government like Nandipur Power Project due to their greed. He said that due to the greed of former rulers, Pakistani people are bearing additional burden of billions of rupees and the poor country like Pakistan cannot afford it. He said that though energy crisis is a big problem yet PML-N leadership is determined to overcome it. He said that although Kala Bagh Dam is an important project with regard economic point of view yet nothing is more important than the national solidarity. He said that Kala Bagh Dam should be constructed with national consensus. The Chief Minster said that vast reserves of coal of the world exist in Sindh but ironically former rulers did not pay any attention towards it. He said that generation of energy through fuel is very costly and government has to spend ten billion dollars annually on the import of oil. He said that indigenous resources will have to be utilized to reduce the dependence on the import of oil. Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab government is working on the projects of generating energy through coal, biogas, biomass, bagasse, solar and hydle. He said that work is continuing speedily on the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Project in Bahawalpur. He said that Pakistan has produced great politicians, generals, judges, soldiers, industrialists, scientists and bankers and become atomic power but despite this we are still facing many problems and difficulties. He said that although the path is very difficult yet not impossible. He said that we can achieve our goal and honourable place in the comity of nations through hard work, honesty and commitment.

Replying to questions of the participants, Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab government has taken solid steps for eliminating extremism and sectarianism. He said that concrete strategy has been adopted for promoting economic and trade activities, establishing mobile health units and Daanish schools in south Punjab. He said that resources more than the ratio of population have been provided for removing deprivations of the people of the area. He said that special programmes like Punjab Education Endowment Fund, provision of loans to youth on soft terms, launching of Punjab Rozegar Bank and health insurance scheme have been started for the welfare of the low income segment of the society. He said that training of various skills have been provided to the thousands of youth of south Punjab under Punjab Skill Development Programme. The Chief Minister also gave answers to the questions in a very comprehensive manner.

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