Women assembly members call on CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that 50 percent population of Pakistan comprises women. He said that the role of women in national development is of paramount importance. He said that Pakistani women are talented, educated and hardworking and they have proved their worth in different sectors. Women have also to play their role in the constitution of peaceful society and development of the country, he added. He said that Punjab government has taken revolutionary steps for women empowerment and progress of the people of the province.

He expressed these views while addressing Women Members Punjab Assembly of Pakistan Muslim League (N), here today. Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, MPAs Mansha Ullah Butt and Saood Majeed were present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister said that the politics of sit-ins and protest last year caused a heavy loss to the national economy. He said that due to sit-ins, the visit of Chinese President to Pakistan in September was cancelled and Chinese President went to India and signed agreements of billions of dollars, which disappointed Pakistani nation. He said, no doubt, China is a trustworthy friend of Pakistan and friendship of both the countries is deeper than oceans, sweeter than honey, higher than Himalayas and stronger than steel.

Shahbaz Sharif said that with the consensus of both the countries, agreements of billions of dollars for cooperation in energy, infrastructure and other sectors to be signed in Islamabad were made at Beijing only due to the politics of sit-ins. He said that due to sit-ins, projects of energy and infrastructure with China were delayed besides hurdles were created in the journey to progress and prosperity of the country. He said that those who wasted precious time of the nation did not realize the interests of the country and the common man.

The Chief Minister said that the sit-ins tarnished the image of the county and due to delay in development projects, process of foreign investment also stopped. He said that such allegations were leveled in sit-ins which finished difference between the wrong and the right. He said that the chaos was created due to sit-ins and hooliganism during last year.

Shahbaz Sharif said that the country was already facing energy crisis, terrorism and a number of other problems and the sit-ins further increased the miseries of common man. He said that those indulged in politics of sit-ins committed great enmity to the nation and the country. He said although the country has come out of politics of sit-ins and hooliganism yet the affects of sit-ins will be felt for a long time. He said that with the grace of Allah Almighty, Pakistan Muslim League-N government has again started the journey of development and we will have to move forward by forgetting the past.

The Chief Minister said that certification of precious mineral reserves in Chiniot Rajwa is a great gift by Allah Almighty for Pakistan. He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N government has brought precious mineral reserves before the people.  He said that during the era of dictatorship, the former rulers of Punjab tried to commit dacoity in these projects and sold these precious mineral reserves to a so-called company at a very low price but PML-N government has presented these reserves before the people by foiling their attempt.

Shahbaz Sharif said that the reserves discovered in Chiniot Rajwa are not the property of ten crore people of Punjab but 18 crore people of the country and is a special gift by Allah Almighty. He told that according to the experts, the reserves of iron ore and copper are spread over an area of 2000 square kilometers and expressed the hope that Chinese and German experts will soon submit a final report. He said that the fate of the nation and the country will be changed by utilizing precious reserves of iron ore and copper with honesty and hard work.

The Chief Minister said that discovery of wind power corridors in Punjab is a good news. He said that a Danish company has identified the generation of energy through wind at various places of Punjab. He said that according to the company, 1000 megawatt electricity can be generated through wind in Punjab. No doubt, it is a great progress and we will execute this project speedily, he added.

Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab government has set up the first and biggest 100 megawatt solar project of the country through its own resources at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur which is near completion. He said that this is the first solar project in the history of the world which has been completed expeditiously. Expressing his views about the problem of terrorism and extremism being faced by the country, the Chief Minister said that the terrorism has caused huge loss to the country. He said that everyone is grieved over the Peshawar tragedy. He said that political, military and religious leadership has united against terrorism due to the killing of innocent children.

Shahbaz Sharif said that winning the war against terrorism is the first and last option. He said that the entire nation from Peshawar to Karachi is united against terrorism. He said that the women have also to play historic role in the war of eliminating terrorism.

The Chief Minister said that collective efforts and wisdom will yield positive results. He said that we have to march forward by forgetting past mistakes. He said that we will certainly achieve the destiny if we continued to march towards right direction. He said that billions of rupees are being spent for the training of Punjab Police and equipping it with modern weapons. He said that modern trained counter terrorism force has been constituted.

Referring to the provision of facilities to the people and development of the province, Shahbaz Sharif said that PML-N government has served the people selflessly during six and a half years. He said that the culture of merit, transparency and completing development projects speedily has been promoted in the province and no one can level allegation of corruption of even a single penny against us. He said that billions of rupees are being spent on the welfare of the people and provision of education, health and other basic facilities to them. He said that provision of potable water will be ensured under Saaf Pani Project in all tehsils of Punjab up to 2017.

The Chief Minister said that Pakistan will be put on the road to progress and prosperity by following the golden principles of hard word, trust and honesty. He said that menace of terrorism, corruption and nepotism has caused loss to Pakistan. He said that we will work round the clock to change the disappointments of the people into happiness and difficulties into comforts. Shahbaz Sharif said that the serious and sincere efforts for bringing the country out of quagmire of problems will prove fruitful and every person of the society has to play his role in this regard. He expressed the hope that the country will certainly come out quagmire of problems and we will achieve our destiny.

The Chief Minister said that 50 thousand vehicles are being distributed on merit among unemployed youth under self employment scheme, for which, quota for the districts of south Punjab has increased. He said that this project of 25 billion rupees is a clear proof to merit and transparency. He said that 15 billion rupees are being spent on the construction and repair of roads in rural areas under “Khadim-e-Punjab Green Road Programme” during the current financial year whereas more resources of billions of rupees will be provided during next financial year under this programme.

Shahbaz Sharif said that Rawalpindi – Islamabad Metro Bus Project is in the final stages of completion which will be inaugurated next month. He said that the Metro Bus project is also being started for the facility of people of Multan and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will lay the foundation stone of this project. He said that billions of rupees of the nation have been saved in development projects through dialogues with foreign companies. He said that saving of national resources is unprecedented in the history of the country and Punjab government has set an example during last six and half years. He said that every penny is the trust of the nation and PML-N government will spare no effort in spending public money on their welfare.

The Chief Minister said that Allah Almighty certainly gives reward of hard work and struggle. He said that the discovery of mineral reserves in Chinniot – Rajwa and wind corridors are the result of this hard work and sincerity. He said that nations march forward through hard work and struggle. He expressed the hope that Pakistan will achieve its lost status in the comity of nations.

Women assembly members, paying rich tributes to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif over speedy development of Punjab and public welfare steps, said that Shahbaz Sharif has taken revolutionary steps for the development and prosperity of the province. They said that PML-N leadership is determined to steer the country out of problems through hard work. They said it is the result of hard work and devotion of Shahbaz Sharif that Allah Almighty has given the precious gift of iron and copper reserves to the nation. They said that the merit policy and steps of Chief Minister Punjab are yielding positive results.

Earlier,Federal Minister for Water & Power, Kh. Muhammad Asif met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, here today. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that early resolution of energy crisis is essential for promotion of trade, industrial and economic activities. He said that government is taking solid steps towards right direction for coping with energy crisis and besides traditional methods, also paying attention to generate energy through renewable sources. Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab government has set up 100 megawatt solar project at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur from its own resources which is near completion and will soon start electricity generation. He said that a positive progress is being made with regard to 900 megawatt solar project at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park whereas it has been decided to shift more than five thousand schools of far-flung areas of Punjab to solar under a phased programme. The Chief Minister said that the discovery of wind power corridors in North and South Punjab is a good news for the people. He said that wind power corridors of Punjab have the capacity of generating 1000 megawatt electricity. He said that work on the project of generating energy through wind will be carried out speedily with the cooperation of renowned Danish international company and Quaid-e-Azam Wind Power Park will be set up in this regard. Shahbaz Sharif said that planning is being made for generating 1000 megawatt energy through LNG and Punjab government has decided to set up LNG Power Park for this purpose. He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, is working speedily for overcoming the problem of shortage of energy. The Chief Minister said that ridding the people of the menace of load-shedding is our mission and we are working round the clock for achieving this objective. He said that the agreements made with local and foreign power companies regarding energy projects are being implemented speedily.