Rs 1,616 million bridge inaugurated: Headway on Seraiki province soon, says Gilani

Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Saturday that the issue of Seraiki province is being considered by the Manifesto Committee of PPP and an headway in this regard is expected very soon. He was talking to the reporters after addressing a public meeting at Jalalpur Pirwala, an underdeveloped Tehsil of the district, over 100 kilometres from here.
The Prime Minister said that he had made announcement to include Seraiki province issue in election manifesto of the party during his last visit to Jalalpur Pirwala. He said that President Asif Ali Zardari, after consulting him, had formed a Manifesto Committee, which is considering the matter. Other parties are also in favour of the province, he added.
He said it was the first PPP-led elected government, after Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto that presented the fourth budget. He further said that rumourmongers made propaganda but the PPP-led government continued to serve the people with diligence, adding that it's prerogative of people to decide who should represent them. He added that PPP will continue to serve the people as long as the people would want.
He observed that the price of oil was 30 dollars per barrel at the time when PPP-led government took over, however, it has risen up to 123 dollars per barrel now. Gilani said that the present government has added 2000-megawatt power to the national grid so far and promised to increase power generation by 30 percent by the end of the five-year term. He said the PPP has a history of adopting people-friendly policies. He also said that growers of the country are prosperous today due to agriculture-friendly policies and impoverished segments of society were receiving financial support on sustainable grounds under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
He said that the door-to-door poverty survey is in progress under the BISP and government has issued instructions that the poor should also get relief in electricity and gas bills. The PM said that development projects would usher in a new era of prosperity in Jalalpur Pirwala.
He said that construction of roads and bridges would generate economic activities to bring about prosperity to the people, while establishment of IT university and Virtual University would link the area with the rest of the world. He added that youths of the area would emerge as skilled workers and professionals to get jobs in foreign countries and contribute to the national development process.
When asked about Mian Nawaz Sharif's demand regarding establishment of a commission to probe terrorists' attack on Mehran naval base last month, the premier said the government realises significance of the issue and has done what was needed to be done. He, however, made it clear that there would be no compromise on national security issues. When asked whether the attitude of PML-N reflected its sincerity and commitment to the politics of reconciliation, Gilani responded by saying that every positive initiative to support the politics of reconciliation was taken by PPP alone.
About opposition's hue and cry over external loans during budget session of the National Assembly on Friday, he said it always exercised its right to criticise the government. He said that government increased salaries of employees by 15 percent despite financial difficulties. He said he believes that government should have been commended instead of being criticised.
The PM said national economy is facing a huge financial burden due to global recession, fight against militancy, energy crisis and flash floods of the last year. However, he expressed the determination that the nation would overcome these challenges. In response to parliament's passage of resolution on drone attacks by the US, he said government is not weak and has been raising the issue at all fora. It is trying to convince the US to stop these attacks, he added.
Earlier, the PM inaugurated rupees 1,616 million worth, 600-metre Musa Pak Shaheed Bridge. The four-lane bridge (dual carriageway) has a 4.5km long approach road and is 18kms from Jalkalpur Pirwala in the south. The project is part of the series of ongoing development programme for the underprivileged areas of Southern Punjab. He also performed groundbreaking of a water supply scheme and campus of Virtual University in the city.
The urban water scheme would be completed at a cost of Rs 109.372 million. It would provide clean drinking water where ground water is unfit for human consumption. The scheme would benefit about 55,000 people living in urban localities. The Virtual University project would be completed at a cost of Rs 35 million and enable access of education to distant students.
MPA, Syed Ahmad Mujtaba Gilani also spoke on the occasion. MPAs including Syed Nazim Hussain Shah, Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani, Malik Mohammad Amir Dogar, Malik Ahmad Hussain Dehar, besides Rana Qasim Noon, Ayub Ghallu and Prime Minister's media co-ordinator Khawaja Rizwan Alam were also present.