PM takes a dig at Imran as he courts South Punjab

Express Tribune

23-02-2025

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that the federal government was committed to uniform progress and prosperity of all areas with uplift of backward areas like south Punjab by spreading a vast network of development projects.
Addressing a huge public gathering in Dera Ghazi Khan, the prime minister took a swipe at his predecessor, Imran Khan, questioning whether the former leader "gave away money" during his foreign visits.
Shehbaz responded to past allegations that he sought financial assistance from other countries. "A politician used to say that Shehbaz Sharif goes abroad to ask for money. I ask, did you go abroad to distribute money?" he remarked.
The prime minister also announced the establishment of a cancer hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan and a university in Rajanpur, calling them steps towards equitable development in Punjab. He said the government remained committed to improving education, healthcare, and industry across all provinces.
The prime minister said when they came to power, the inflation had reached over 40 per cent, but his leader Nawaz Sharif decided to sacrifice politics for the sake of the country.
With hard work and pro-development policies of the incumbent government, the inflation was capped below 2.4 per cent while the interest rate had been reduced to 12 per cent benefiting the investors, business people and farmers, he added.
The prime minister, expressing his views in local Saraiki dialect, said that Nawaz Sharif and he had a strong relation with this region. During the year 2010, when the flood water and destruction was witnessed everywhere in these areas, he as a servant of the area, worked day and night to alleviate sufferings of the masses.
"I have come to convey that Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif are working day and night for the uplift of entire province, particularly for south Punjab," he added.
The prime minister said during his previous tenures, he had worked for the establishment of Danish schools, hospitals, provision of free medicines and livestock, award of scholarships, besides allocating extra quota for the youth of the area in different sectors.
The prime minister said the Punjab chief minister was spreading a network of hospitals and roads in the province, inaugurated facility of Kissan cards, different health and education centers, besides working for the establishment of Nawaz Sharif cancer hospital in Lahore.
Earlier, the prime minister unveiled plaque of upgradation project of Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari International Airport and performed ground breaking of dualization of 331km Indus Highway (N-55), Tranche-III of Rajanpur-DGKhan-DIKhan.
The prime minister was briefed by the relevant authorities about the salient features of these projects.
The completion of the project would enhance connectivity between the southern parts of Punjab with southern districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa via DI Khan.
The prime minister said that an era of progress and prosperity had dawned upon the area in which the youth would get jobs opportunities.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Tanvir Hussain, Attaullah Tarar and PM's advisor Rana Sanaullah also accompanied the prime minister.
The prime minister also reiterated that seeking foreign loans was no solution to their economic issues and the country's future.
Without loans, they would change fate of the country by striving day and night and shedding sweat and blood, he said, adding that he did not believe in hollow slogans, and promised to ensure progress and prosperity of the backward areas.
He maintained that the country's economy had stabilized.
The prime minister also praised all the leaders of the region for working hard for the uplift of their respective areas and mentioned minister for power who was working hard to provide relief over power tariff by bringing reforms.
The prime minister further said for progress and development, peace was requisite.
The enemies of Pakistan including Khwarij were carrying out terrorist activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces and the security forces were giving sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, he said and urged the people to remember these sacrifices.
"Without elimination of terrorism, the country cannot move on the path of progress," he opined and without naming a political party, said mounting attacks on Islamabad in the past had caused immense losses as one-day strike caused billion of losses to the national kitty.
The prime minister also expressed the resolve that together, they would defeat enemies of Pakistan.