KOHAT - Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that the general elections will be held in the country on July 15 next year.

Prime Minister Abbasi said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government firmly believed in serving the masses with concrete steps instead of paying mere lip-service to public aspirations and demands.

He said the PML-N politics revolved around decency and truthfulness that was the reason, the masses throughout the country, were witnessing a string of mega development projects completed by the government.

Addressing a public gathering in Kohat on Saturday, the prime minister expressed his conviction that the people would support the PML-N on the basis of its performance in next general elections to be held on time in 2018 after the completion of his government’s tenure.

The PML-N always undertook development works unlike its political opponents who only banked upon tall claims and politics of indecent talks, he added.

He said the PML-N always talked about Pakistan and stood for the unity of the country and never divided the brothers.

The prime minister said a dictator had ruled over the country for eight years, followed by PPP government but no tangible development work could be initiated in the country.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas of the country, the people would only cite the development projects completed by Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N, he said, adding, the only reason was because the PML-N had the motto of serving the people.

The prime minister referred to his earlier ground-breaking of dualisation of 128-km Sarai Gambila-Kohat Road and 73-km Pindigheb-Kohat Road.

He said both roads would be completed at the total cost of Rs22 billion and Rs10 billion respectively.

Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, adviser to prime minister Engineer Amir Muqam, high officials and a number of PML-N elected leaders were also present on the occasion.

During the previous regimes, the prime minister maintained, the area did not witness any development activity and recalled his earlier visit to Kohat. He said the area people were well-versed in politics and they could easily discern the difference between hollow slogans and concrete measures. They abhorred politics of mere accusations.

The prime minister also advised his political adversaries to serve the people if they wanted to enlist their support in the next general elections.

In 2018, he said the elections would be held on time, the PML-N government would complete its term and go to polls on the basis of its performance, referring to its achievements in education, health, road infrastructure and energy sectors.

The menace of terrorism was confronted and tackled by the PML-N government and now the countrymen did not feel insecurity, he added.

Every week, completed mega projects were being inaugurated whereas several others were lined up, he said, fearing that few among them could not be inaugurated due to the hectic busy time frame.

The prime minister recollected the tragic incident of Army Public School Peshawar three years back, and said after the tragedy, the political parties and Pakistan army confronted the threat collectively with the support of the nation and defeated it.

He said the law and order situation in the country had improved manifold when compared with the situation in 2013. “Now, everyone feels secure. Our hard work and sacrifices paid for peace in the country,” he added. 

About Fata, the prime minister said the PML-N government had undertaken the initiative for mainstreaming of the tribal areas and introduced a bill in the National Assembly.

He said the Fata reforms process would be implemented by the PML-N which would be another feather in its cap as everyone wanted this issue to be settled and called upon the political elements to support the process. No one opposed merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

On this occasion, the people in the gathering raised their hands to support government’s efforts.

The prime minister said quality education for the females in the area was ensured with inauguration of Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) women campus.

About local issues pertaining to gas supply and construction of stadium, the prime minister said these would be fast tracked with support of the federal government’s funds.

 

 

Elections to be held on July 15: PM