"Youm-e-Takbir" commemorating the nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan on May 12 1998 in reply to Indian nuclear explosions is being celebrated on Saturday (today) with great fervour and enthusiasm. The nuclear explosions on May 28, 1998 made Pakistan the seventh nuclear nation of the world and first Muslim state equipped with the deadly arsenal.
In this connection, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has planned to organise special gatherings to highlight importance of the day. The party has the distinction of making the decision regarding conducting nuclear explosions during the second tenure of Mian Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister, despite pressure by the US and other western countries not to do so.
PML-N is all set to observe 'Youm-e-Takbir' with enthusiasm. In Lahore, main function will be held at Aiwan-e-Iqbal in which top party leadership will address the participants. Different wings of PML-N will also hold gatherings across the country to mark the day in a befitting manner. The PML-N considers May 28, a milestone day in the history of Pakistan that made the country's defence unconquerable, a senior party leader Mohammad Pervaiz Malik said. Chief Minister Punjab, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is also going to inaugurate distribution of five-marla plots under Jinnah Abadies Scheme among 46,168 shelter-less people on the occasion.
Malik said the PML-N leadership is going to launch a scheme of providing residential facilities to the people under socio-economic protection programme for the masses on May 28. On this day, ceremonies regarding distribution of allotment certificates of plots in Jinnah Abadies will be held in all districts of the province. As many as 661 Jinnah Abadies have been set up in the province of Punjab. About 5,459 plots are being allotted in Lahore Division, 2,370 in Gujranwala, 505 in Rawalpindi, 1,061 in Sargodha, 13,840 in Faisalabad, 10,160 in Multan, 3,153 in DG Khan and 5,656 in Bahawalpur Division.
Regarding decision of Punjab government not to accept foreign aid, PML-N leader Pervaiz Malik said that only those nations gain a respectable place in the comity of nations that rely on their own resources. "If we have to live as an independent and sovereign nation, we will have to rid of charity which might mar our sovereignty and respect. History is witness to the fact that only those nations have succeeded which took difficult decisions in the fight for their survival," he said.
He said that Punjab government is already implementing the policy of austerity by curtailing non-developmental expenditure. He said that there is ban on purchase of new vehicles, renovation of offices and procurement of unnecessary items and austerity committee is already working in this regard. He pointed out that Punjab is the only province, which has set an unprecedented example by curtailing rupees six billion from its non-developmental expenditure. Malik said that for achieving the goal of self-reliance, we will not only have to activate the state machinery for recovery of taxes, but present a practical example for promotion of austerity.
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