PML-N believes in serving masses not in raising hollow slogans: Shehbaz

KAMALIA: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Sunday said the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) believed in serving the masses rather than raising hollow slogans and unprecedented development projects launched by its government were a proof of that.

Addressing a public meeting here at Government High School No 1 Kamalia, Shehbaz Sharif, who is also PML-N president, said in 2013 there was acute shortage of electricity with unscheduled power outages. But the PML-N government added thousands of megawatts of electricity to the national grid by investing billions of rupees in the sector during the last four-and-a-half years.

By the grace of Allah Almighty, the menace of load-shedding would be totally eliminated by the end of the year, he added.

The chief minister also listed other development projects completed during his tenure. Rs 12.5 billion had been spent on various development projects in Toba Tek Singh, including construction of roads, colleges, gymnasiums, laying AstroTurf at Gojra Hockey Stadium, E-library etc, he said.

Similarly, a water supply scheme was completed with Rs 400 million at Kamalia while Rs 900 million had been spent on water supply schemes in Gojra, Pir Mahal and Toba Tek Singh, he added.

He said during the last nine-and-a-half years, his government provided scholarships amounting to Rs11 billion to 350,000 students under the Punjab Education Endowment Fund.

He said the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Toba Tek Singh had been refurbished at the cost of Rs 450 million to provide the best possible health facilities to the residents of the district.

Regarding farming community, he said the price of fertilizer had been reduced to almost 50 per cent. Easy loans were provided for agriculture tube-wells and interest-free finances to small farmers.

Shehbaz Sharif said the Metro Bus service had been provided in Multan and the facility would be made available in Faisalabad if the people voted the PML-N to power for next five-year term.

He vowed that Toba Tek Singh would be provided the same facilities which were available in Faisalabad.    He lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan, saying that his politics was based on disruption, lock-downs, civil disobedience and sit-ins.

The PTI leader had staged a seven-month long sit-in in 2014, which was, in fact, a deep-rooted conspiracy not only against PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif but also against 220 million people of Pakistan, he added.

He said Imran Khan knew that the Chinese president would visit Pakistan in September 2014 to sign historical agreements of power generation, motorways, Orange Line train and Gawadar Port. Due to his sit-in, that visit was delayed and "we were able to start the projects in April 2015 after the visit of Chinese President."

He said if the people re-elected the PML-N in upcoming elections, it would eliminate the negative politics from the country. The nation, he added, must stand united to wipe out poverty and unemployment by forging unity in its ranks.

He said Imran Khan was openly criticizing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and claimed that he would not vote for the PPP candidates in the Senate elections, but he voted for the PPP man, which had even been disclosed by Bilawal Bhutto.

"We are unable to comprehend as to why he (Imran) is befooling the Pakistanis by criticizing the PPP."

The chief minister the PML-N would make Pakistan a strong, prosperous and self-reliant country under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif if the masses voted the party to power in the next general election.

Regarding the Kashmir issue, he said,"We should work hard to attain economic sovereignty, which is imperative to materialize the slogan of 'Kashmir Banay Ga Pakistan'."

No one could dishonour the green passport if Pakistan attained economic stability, he said.

Members of the National Assembly Asadur Rehman and Khalid Warraich, Member of the Punjab Assembly Syed Qutab Ali Shah, Chairman District Council Fauzia Khalid Warraich and other PML-N leaders were also present on the occasion.