Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visits Punjab Assembly after around 10 months

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the elements involved in loot, corruption and waiving of loans on political basis have destroyed the country and time has come for their strict, indiscriminate and transparent accountability. He said the nation has decided that the looted money should be recovered and such a system of accountability be evolved that no one could dare to misappropriate the hard-earned money of the poor or grab lands.

He was addressing Punjab Assembly, here today.The Chief Minister said that time has come for accountability. He said that Panama Leaks is being discussed in media, parliament as well as the whole country. He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in his address to the nation on television had made it clear that there was no reference to him in Panama Leaks.

He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also written a letter to Supreme Court for setting up a commission and said that if there is a reference to his sons in Panama Leaks, they will themselves present evidence before the commission. He said that it is a proof of Prime Minister’s sincerity. Shahbaz Sharif said that opposition raised further questions with regard to TORs upon which the Prime Minister has stated that consultations will be made with opposition leaders on this issue.

He said that unfortunately there was no reference to the waiving of loans, commission, kickbacks and corruption in the TORs of opposition and it look as if the TORs were not against corruption but against an individual.

The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister had again presented his case in the parliament and stated the facts. He said that honorable members of parliament and the whole nation listened to his speech and they will be the real judge. He said that corruption, plunder, commission and waiving of loans has weakened the foundations of the country and the nation wants an end to such practices. He said that people are united over transparent and fair accountability.

Shahbaz Sharif said that there is a need to move ahead without wasting any time and such a system will be evolved that no dishonest person could undermine national interests. He said that Pakistani people know who is serving them honestly and dedicatedly and who has been involved in loot and corruption in the past. He said that the facts about Swiss bank accounts, NICL scandal and the ruthless loot and plunder of the country’s wealth are well known to the people and they want accountability of such elements.

The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, all out efforts are being made for overcoming energy crisis as it has badly affected, agriculture, education, health and all sectors of life. He said the fact that despite severe heat of 45 degrees people are not on the streets is due to the reason that they have confidence that the present government is making sincere efforts for resolving energy problem.

He said that shortage of energy will be overcome within next two years. He said that work is being carried out expeditiously on energy projects in Sindh, KPK, Balochistan, Punjab as well as the whole country under China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Shahbaz Sharif said that out of the investment package of 46 billion dollars given by China, 34 billion rupees are being spent on power projects while the remaining amount will be utilized on infrastructure projects. He said that the political opponents of the government allege that these are expensive loans and they are trying to mislead the nation over the economic package given by China. He said that this package has also been described as fictitious.

The Chief Minister assured the house that work on power projects of thousands of megawatts is continuing speedily throughout Pakistan under CPEC. He said that work is being carried out round the clock over 1320 megawatt energy project costing Rs. 1.8 billion dollars in Sahiwal and it will start producing electricity by the end of next year.

Similarly, he said, power projects of hundreds of megawatts are being implemented in Bahawalpur under CPEC while electricity is being supplied to national grid with the completion of solar power projects. He said that two year earlier, this area was a desert and 300 megawatt solar power project will be completed this year. He said that coal power plant of 1320 megawatt at Port Qasim Sindh will also be completed by the end of next year.

Shahbaz Sharif asked are power projects, Gawadar Port and construction of national highways a lie. He said it is not so and China has not given loan but made pure investment. He said that there has never been any period in Pakistan’s 69 years history that investment of 34 billion dollars been made by any country in power projects. He said that China is a friendly country of Pakistan and has achieved economic strength through hard work. He said that China is making investment of 34 billion dollars in energy projects in Pakistan and this amount is more than double the foreign exchange reserves of Pakistan.

The Chief Minister said that Pakistani nation has suffered a lot at the hands of elite and the political and military leaderships that remained in power are responsible for the current poor situation rather than any citizen of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, KPK, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan or any other area of Pakistan who earns his living in an honest manner. He said that it is time to ponder why despite loans of billions of dollars, the destiny of the poor masses of Pakistan has not changed.

He said that Chinese leadership expressing full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has given historic package of 46 billion dollars. He said that the elements involved in sit-ins and negative politics tried to create hurdles in this project and if these elements again tried to hamper the process of national development the nation will hold them accountable.

Shahbaz Sharif said that China is a sincere friend of Pakistan and has stood by the country in every hour of trial. He said that China has fully supported Pakistan in United Nations and all other forums and stood by Pakistan in the time of test and trail. He said that if power houses, had been set up with the country’s own resources, there would not have any money left in its exchequer.

He said that it is a matter of satisfaction that China has helped Pakistan at this difficult time and expressing full confidence in it announced historic package of billions of dollars. He said that CPEC is such an investment package that will change destiny of Pakistan and strengthen its economy. He said that no opponent of the country including India would dare to cast an evil eye on Pakistan. He said that the elements creating despair in the nation should refrain from baseless allegations.

Shahbaz Sharif said that federal and Punjab government are setting up three gas-based energy projects of 3600 megawatt in Bhikki, Haveli Bahadar Shah and Baloki. He said that NEPRA rate has been from eight lakh dollars to ten lakh dollars per megawatt for the gas-based electricity projects set up in the past but the government is setting up power houses of this kind at a rate of four lakh 60 thousand dollars per megawatt. He said that saving of 112 billion rupees has been made on these three projects.

He said that it is a fact and he is ready to face any punishment if it proves wrong. Referring to orange line metro train project, the Chief Minister said that it is a unique project in the history of the country with regard to its transparency, finances and standard. He said that the whole house can discuss this project and he is putting the facts in the house. He said that there is no tendering for government to government agreements all over the world.

He said that it is the first time in 69 years’ history of the country that tendering was made for this G to G agreement. He said that he held negotiations with Chinese authorities on tendering and also wrote a letter to them. He said that Chinese government agreed to tendering process for which he is thankful to China authorities.

The Chief Minister said that a Chinese company made the lowest bid of 2.12 billion dollars in the tendering process however negotiations were held with this company and this amount was further reduced to 1.47 billion dollars and thereby a sum of 60 billion rupees was saved. He said that civil works of the project were also given by the Chinese company to Punjab government and the tendering for civil works worth 55 billion rupees was lowered to 49 billion rupees and a sum of six billion rupees of the nation was saved. As such a saving of 70 billion rupees was made on this project, he added.

Shahbaz Sharif said that he has put all facts regarding orange line metro train project before the house and he is ready to face accountability if any evidence is brought to the contrary. He said that even opponents to this project should appreciate the good work or at least they should remain silent and refrain from misleading the nation. He said that unjustified protest was lodged against this project and so-called civil society also raised hue and cry that historical places were being demolished.

He said that it had also been alleged that the project will cause damage to Shalamar Bagh, Chauburgi and other historical sites. He said that in India, temples were demolished on the orders of Supreme Court for making way for metro train while in Malaysia places of ablution of a mosque were demolished for this purpose. He said that there is no mosque or church on the route of metro train in Lahore. He said that no historical site will be demolished or damaged due to metro train.

The Chief Minister said that what kind of civil society is it which is opposing dignified transport facility to the citizens. He said that more than three lakh persons will travel by orange line metro train daily. He said that if elite tried to create hurdles in this public welfare project there will be a revolution which will be brought in by the masses. He said that the elements trying to hamper public welfare projects should have fear of God.

Shahbaz Sharif said that collective efforts are needed to eliminate poverty, ignorance and unemployment. He said that civil society has gone to the court against orange line metro train project on the plea that it will affect historical sites like Shalamar Bagh while it is also fact that these people never visit such places. He said that under this situation of uncertainty, no bank or financial institution would have provided loan but Chinese leadership despite all speculations, propaganda and uncertainty has given 33 billion rupees for metro train project.

He said that it is indeed full confidence of Chinese leadership in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab government. He said that Allah has given an opportunity to the present government to serve the masses and the people will decide in the next election who they want them to serve. He said that government is engaged in selfish service to the masses.

The Chief Minister while referring to a question put to a politician in a TV programme and the reply which referred to 22 families said that on January 2, 1972 Ittefaq Foundry was nationalized and no compensation was paid. He said that his family was not among 22 families in 1972 and he is proud of the fact that his father belonged to a poor family of farmers.

Shahbaz Sharif said that his family migrated to Pakistan from India and in the decade of 30s, his father along with his brothers started to work. He said that when on January 2, 1972 the business of his family was nationalized the steel mill of his family had become the biggest steel and engineering mill of the country and was providing jobs to thousands of people. He said that not only agri machinery was being produced in the factory but military equipment was also manufactured and he is proud of this fact.

The Chief Minister said that nation will hold accountable such elements as are trying to hamper the process of national development and will not forgive those who are creating hurdles in economic corridor, energy and other welfare projects or wasting time of the nation in fruitless sit-ins. He said that nation is united today on accountability and there is a need to move ahead without wasting any time and evolve a mechanism for elimination of corruption so that Pakistan could achieve its goal.