Lahore (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed the optimism that despite different challenges, Pakistan would be soon out of all difficulties.
Addressing a ceremony after reviewing the construction work on six-lane overhead bridge of Imamia Colony railways crossing in Lahore, the premier said that
PM Shehbaz said that there existed economic challenges but the nation would have to decide whether they would live on foreign debts or to stand on its feet by carving a niche among the comity of nations with honesty, dedication and hard work.
If the chronic issue of load shedding, the scourge of terrorism could end, free medicines could be provided to the poor, road infrastructure could be laid, then surely, the country could move on the path of progress and prosperity, he added.
The premier said that those nations always achieved milestones that took lead with definite decisions over their future.
While referred to the terms of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for seeking loan agreement, PM Shehbaz said that the coalition government did every effort to implement them.
He said that Pakistan had fulfilled all the conditions of the IMF, adding that "the global lender has no excuse to not give a go-ahead to the deal".
"Even, we sought bilateral financial support from the friendly nations including China that realized our problems and provided a rollover of $2 billion loan besides, returning back previous debt amount paid back by Pakistan," PM Shehbaz said.
The prime minister also expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE had committed a loan of $3 billion.
He lauded the efforts of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and the chief of army staff for making efforts in this regard.
The prime minister said that inflation and price hike, no doubt, had made the lives of ordinary people difficult, but the coalition government was cognizant of these affects.
He urged the nation to work hard by day and night and transform the country into the visions of Quaid and Allama Iqbal.
The ceremony was attended by Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, parliamentarians, chief secretary, National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman and relevant authorities.
The prime minister cited the pace of development and uplift projects across Punjab province during Nawaz Sharif’ tenure, regretting that during the last four years of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) tenure, brakes were applied, ending a number of public welfare-oriented projects, besides putting other vital projects into the cold storage.
"With such move, the development pace was snatched which also saw a height of corruption in the province during PTI’s government. Whereas, the PML-N government had strived to eliminate the curse during its terms, he added.
The prime minister also criticized former chief justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar for staying different projects in the province including the issue of 56 companies.
He said in these proceedings, not a single penny of corruption was proved.
The Orange line was a gift of China for the people of Lahore, he said, adding after a lengthy proceeding of 11-month over a case moved by PTI, the high court gave a clean chit.
"But the PTI people then took the issue to the Supreme Court, where the former chief justice delayed the decision for months, with clear intentions to cause harm to PML-N and public uplift schemes" PM Shehbaz said.
The prime minister also accused former justice Saqib Nisar of causing loss to PKLI and questioned what he was doing in the constituency of Shaikh Rashid.
About the construction of flyovers, he said that one each flyover Imamia colony was being completed by the federal government and the other at Shahdara by the provincial government.
PM Shehbaz said that the metro bus project from Shahdra would be expanded to Kala Shah Kaku, adding all these projects were meant for the public benefits.
The prime minister said that he had directed for completion of the work in three months.
Earlier, the prime minister was briefed by the relevant authorities over the construction work.
The prime minister directed the authorities to expedite the work and complete it in three months timeframe.