The tired politicians once again are making efforts to sabotage CPEC : Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore : Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that development works are being carried out speedily throughout the country including Punjab but defeated elements and tired politicians once again are making futile efforts to sabotage the journey of progress.

He said that these elements do not want bright future and employment for Pakistani youth and a revolution of progress and prosperity in the country. He said that they once again are out to create hurdles in the journey of progress and prosperity but conscious people of Pakistan will defeat them. He said that target of a head of political party, who should pay attention to general elections of 2018, is not 2018 elections but CPEC, on which, work is being carried out round the clock and projects under CPEC are being completed speedily.

He said that 1320 Megawatt Sahiwal Coal Power Project will be completed 8 months before its stipulated period in June 2017 and Chinese companies have assured in this regard. He said that CPEC is giving a message of progress and prosperity in the country due to which thousands of people will get jobs.

He said work of progress and prosperity of common man has been started but these people are creating hurdles so that common man could not benefit from development projects but 20 crore people of Pakistan will foil the conspiracy of these elements. The country will not stop progressing but it will make speedy progress, he added.

He said that exhausted politicians and defeated elements want to stop CPEC through sit-ins and processions but they will not succeed in their nefarious designs. He expressed these views while talking to media after Modern Tree Transplanter Demonstration ceremony, safe shifting of a tree to another place, at Maulana Shaukat Ali Road today. He said that people of PTI and Peoples Party went to the court against Orange Line Metro Train Project.

The Chief Minister said lawyers of these parties leveled baseless allegations regarding the project that corruption of billions of rupees has been committed, which can be checked from the record of High Court, but he added that 80 billion rupees of the nation have been saved in this project. He is ready to write with his blood that if corruption of even a single penny is proved in this project, he should be held accountable, he added. He said that High Court gave decision based on 300 pages in this regard but did not write even a single word regarding corruption.

He said that this is victory of honesty and hard work.

Shahbaz Sharif said defeated politicians do not want that common man should benefit from modern and world standard transport facility like metro train through which labourers, teachers, nurses, students, farmers, widows, lawyers and workers will cover 27 kilometer distance only in 45 minutes. He said that these elements travel in large vehicles and create hurdles in the way of projects aimed at welfare of poor people.

The Chief Minister said that he will not allow these elements to do so and go to the last limit for projects of provision of facilities to the poor people. He said that he will not tolerate any pressure in this regard and serve the masses till his last breath. He said that Modern Tree Transplanter has been introduced first time in the history of the country. A successful demonstration was displayed for shifting of a tree from one place to another through Modern Tree Transplanter.

The Chief Minister said that this modern technique will be extended to the entire province. Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Kh. Ahmad Hassan, Vice Chairman PHA Iftikhar Ahmed, Director General PHA and Lahore administration and said that it is our collective responsibility to bring improvement through innovation.

The Chief Minister said he wants to convey a message to the people that present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is rendering public service with determination. He said that every step of present government is being taken for public welfare. He said that with new technology, trees will not be cut but transferred from one place to another.

He also congratulated civil society and Save Lahore Movement and said that they went to the court but did nothing regarding implementation of this technique. It was better for them to inform the government in this regard, he added. Earlier, the Chief Minister witnessed the demonstration of re-plantation of a tree in the soil through Tree Transplanter.

DG PHA gave a briefing to the Chief Minister on this occasion. Kh. Ahmed Hassan, Commissioner Lahore Division, DG PHA, Vice Chairman PHA, DCO Lahore and concerned officials were also present on the occasion.