PML-N government brought innovation, change in every sector in five-year term: PM

QUETTA: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Wednesday said despite challenges the PML-N government during its five-year term in office had done much by bringing innovation and change in almost every sector of life and economy.

Speaking at the inauguration of National Incubation Center organised by the Ministry of IT and Telecom here, the Prime Minister said be it economic growth, energy crisis, power outages, connectivity etc., the PML-N government remained successful in addressing major issues facing the country.

He said the network of roads and highways as well as motorways constructed during the last five years were unprecedented. Similarly the addition of thousands of megawatt of power in national grid during this period was also not done even during the last 65 years, he added.

The Prime Minister hoped that the next government would carry forward the prudent policies adopted and pursued by the present government.

He said an amount of Rs 26 billion was allocated for the development of IT sector in Balochistan which helped ensure 3G connectivity and services in the province. The development of IT sector in Balochistan would help generate more job opportunities in the province, he added.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reiterated that peaceful and transparent transition of democracy was what Pakistan needed and whatever the people of Pakistan decided should prevail.

He said they should learn from the past and carry it in future, adding what Pakistan needed today was a strengthened economy and the PML-N government had set the growth rate achieved, the infrastructure issue had been resolved and stability of policy had been provided.

He said despite immense challenges during the past five years, the policies remained stable, and after the democratic transition, he hoped that the next government would continue these policies.

The prime minister said politics goes on as usual, adding, politics was not an unusual event and it had to be a usual event as the country needed stability.

He said National Incubation Centers in Peshawar, Karachi and Lahore had been built and the government completed the journey that every provincial capital today had an NIC.

The prime minister appreciated the performance of ministry of IT and other relevant department for this great task. This was much needed and today there was a quality NIC at all provincial headquarters, he added.

Prime Minister Abbasi urged the local political leadership to put their efforts together for development of their province as Balochistan had the potential to become the most prosper province.

He said Balochistan had the natural resources, connectivity potential and more that it had institutions like Balochistan University, Sardar Bahadur Khan University and there was a need to nurture these natural resources.

"We may have political differences, political issues but I hope the next government will recognize what this government has done despite all challenges of energy, economy and security," he added.

He said despite challenges this government had achieved much but added that much more was needed to be done.

The energy crisis had been met, and in terms of connectivity what had been achieved in the last five years Pakistan could not achieve in the last 65 years, he said and added that the number of highways, motorways were really astounding. He said these projects started in this government and completed or were near to completion.

He said every port had been developed, every airport had been modernized, a network of highways and motorways had been built, as much as more than 50 per cent of power than that Pakistan built in last 65 years had been added in the five year tenure of the government. It was not a small challenge, he added.

He said there had been reforms, innovation, changes in almost every sector where the government functioned. The government had been able to work with provinces to allocate resources to them and now the challenge was with the provinces to build on what had been provided to them.

The Prime Minister said despite all the developments, the development of human skill was the real development for Pakistan.

The prime minister said Broadband connectivity was like an air and this connectivity should be everywhere.

He said Rs 26 billion had been allocated to Balochistan for broadband connectivity and added the province had more 3G connectivity than any other part of Pakistan.

He said first digital policy of Pakistan had been passed by the cabinet, adding Pakistan had a tremendous e-commerce potential and this sector will provide future jobs to the youth of Pakistan.