Lahore- PML-N President and incoming prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said his government would try to overcome the crippling energy crisis by setting up new power plants with cooperation from China and Turkey, two countries with which Pakistan has already excellent ties.
Addressing a ceremony which marked the 15th anniversary of the nuclear tests, he indicated that plenty of coal reserves that could meet requirements for hundreds of years would also be utilised for the purpose.
Referring to his recent meeting with the Chinese premier, Nawaz Sharif said they had agreed to launch joint economic ventures that will go a long way to overcome the financial problems as well as eliminate unemployment and poverty in the country.
The function was organised jointly by Nazariya Pakistan Ttrust (NPT) and Pakistan Movement Trust at Aiwan-e-Karkunan Tehreek-e-Pakistan. NPT Chairman Dr Majid Nizami presided over the function while Vice Chairman Dr Rafiq Ahmad presented the welcome address to special guest Nawaz Sharif.
Nawaz said that the Chinese premier during his recent visit to Pakistan agreed with him to make joint economic plans. “If these plans succeed, the destiny of the nation would be changed and unemployment and poverty would be completely eliminated in the country,” Nawaz observed.
The former premier told the gathering that his government was going to inherit grave problems but despite all that it was determined to steer the country out of crisis. “The country is under heavy burden of loans while problems are serious; unemployment and poverty is rampant. If I go for repaying the debts, poverty will aggravate and energy crisis remain unresolved. The situation is making me sleepless,” he added.
He said their commitment was firm and they had sincere intentions to strengthen the economy just like his government did nuclear tests in 1998 to make Pakistan’s defence invincible.
Nawaz said his government would frame policies which would be effective beyond the five-year tenure of his government. “Energy crisis is our major worry at the moment as economic progress and peaceful civil life depends on the availability of power. The present plight of the country does not match with the status of a nuclear state. It’s a tragedy that we don’t have electricity while the problems beset us from everywhere, chocking our development.”
Nawaz warned there would be no quick fix to energy crisis. However, he said full-scale efforts would be made by his government to revive the economy and bring the electricity back. “This will take time and the nation will have to show patience but we will overcome the difficulties.”
He said foreign firms setting up power projects in Pakistan would be allowed to repatriate profits, but warned against expectations of a swift end to the crisis. “Please do not expect that we will solve this energy problem in days,” he told the audience.
“We will try our best and will use all our resources to solve this problem but you will have to show patience. I cannot give you an exact timeframe but I will struggle and will do my best.”
“The PML-N has started the homework to meet the challenges and when the government will be installed people will know in days that the government has set its direction in the right way,” he said.
The energy crisis, he said, would be eliminated with the same spirit which Shahbaz Sharif showed to complete metro bus project in 11 months which otherwise had to take four years. He announced introducing the coal based-energy in factories but added that it would take at least three years to come into existence.
He said: “We have coal reserves sufficient to generate power for 100 years but billions of dollars are needed to execute the project. Similarly, Bhasha Dam and Dasu Dam can be constructed but only Bhasha needs up to $15 billion which were not available at the moment. However, the nation must not be disappointed as the PML-N had a vision and teams of experts to meet every challenge.
He said “They have planned to end line losses which can cut down the loadshedding hours by half.” For it, he said, efficiency of the power department would be improved and electricity theft dealt with iron hands.
He said his team planned to build power plants with the help of China while Turkey would also be involved into this exercise. Nawaz said he would personally supervise these projects and make sure to complete the work of a year in three months. He said Pakistan could not afford any discrimination between those who voted him and those who did not.
Nawaz said the people of Punjab voted PML-N which was a mature decision that proved the political analysts wrong who were talking about the split mandate.
He said: “The people of KPK took an emotional decision while the decision of Sindhis was traditional and Baloch favoured the PML-N. The last elections showed the world a bright face of Pakistanis that they respect the sanctity of ballot. Now Pakistan will change in days and not in years. After taking oath on June 5, I will inform the nation about my development programme.”
The twice elected premier said that he realised the expectations of those who had voted his party into power and those who went against them. “All have reposed trust in us. The families who voted for us and those who opposed us, I will not disappoint them. Pakistan belongs to all and there should be no discrimination against any one,” he added.
Dr Majid Nizami, in his address, thanked Nawaz Sharif for making defence of the country invincible and recalled it was he who asked Nawaz Sharif to go on with nuclear explosions otherwise the nation would explode him. Nizami said: “India is our enemy so we must not have any soft corner for it as enemy cannot be trusted. India is choking the water flow to Pakistan and is illegally occupying Kashmir. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had declared Kashmir lifeline of Pakistan.”
He said “Allah commands us to keep our horses ready against non-believers and the modern-day horses are atomic bombs and missiles.” He said “We must not hesitate using them when needed and victory will be ours.”