Shehbaz Sharif says Nawaz Sharif’s govt was removed through worst conspiracy n Inaugurates Bhara Kahu Bypass, Digital Youth Hub Portal n Launches Health Insurance Card for media workers, artists n Awards Rs10m prize to Junior Squash World Champion Hamza.

 

ISLAMABAD  -  Prime Minister Shehbaz Shar­if Thursday urged the nation to make determined and concerted efforts to make Pakistan regain its grandeur and stature and compete with the world.

The prime minister, address­ing the inauguration ceremony of Bhara Kahu Bypass, said that the country’s eastern neighbour had moved far ahead but noth­ing was to worry about if the nation was resolved to take the country forward as was dreamt by Quaid-e-Azam and pursued by Nawaz Sharif in 1990s.

Started in October 2022, the project was executed by NLC within nine months' time, cost­ing Rs 6.25 billion. It has re­moved a major bottleneck for millions of commuters travelling to Muree, Kashmir, and Galliyat from across the destination, be­sides remarkably reducing their travel time. The prime minister, who in­augurated the project, said throughout his political career and during all of his interactions, his only intention had been to serve the poor masses who had been faced with tough conditions of life.

But, he said the previous govern­ments had been wasting billions of ru­pees from the national kitty by impeding public projects, and exemplified Have­li Bahadur Shah Power Plant which was stopped despite having spent billions of rupees which otherwise could have been used for public interest project. Calling the Bahara Kahu bypass’s inauguration a moment of satisfaction, the prime minis­ter said the project would ease the diffi­culties of travellers of Islamabad, Punjab and KP visiting AJK and Galliyat.

He said the project should have been completed years ago but the incumbent conceived it and managed to accomplish it within nine months despite challeng­es including a land dispute with Quaid-e-Azam University which was settled through court.

‘THE WORST CONSPIRACY’

The prime minister said he had giv­en a three-month target for the project completion which was also achievable had there been no challenges. He said Bhara Kahu Bypass was also the vision of Nawaz Sharif whose government was removed through the “worst conspira­cy” and the projects of his government were impeded. He said the government completed the Metro Bus Project with­in no time which had been suspended by the previous government. He told the gathering that after the opening of LCs the environment-friendly electric buses were set to reach Islamabad for the fa­cilitation of the residents of Islamabad.

The prime minister instructed the CDA to plant a million trees around the Bha­ra Kahu Bypass, though around 70,000 have already been planted. The prime minister thanked the party leadership for their support and contribution to the project and instructed the CDA to beauti­fy Islamabad like Baku of Azerbaijan.

‘MAN OF THE ESTABLISHMENT’

PM also appreciated Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir for his dedicated support for the project. Sheh­baz Sharif lamented being touted as the “establishment’s man”, saying that he only met the army’s top leaders for the coun­try’s betterment, not for personal gains. “I was called the establishment’s man, but I did not care about those taunts [...] I never met army chiefs for personal reasons; the only motive behind those meetings was to ensure that the establishment and govern­ments take the country forward togeth­er.” PM Shehbaz said during his 38 years in politics, he has met several army chiefs to ensure that “Islamabad’s government and Rawalpindi’s establishment remain on the same page. “I have met many prominent army chiefs in my time in politics [...] but the only idea behind it has been to take Pa­kistan to such a level for which scores of Muslims sacrificed their lives.” PM She­hbaz mentioned that there were reports that he was “very close” to former presi­dent General (retd) Parvez Musharraf.

“...but what did I get? Nawaz Sharif was thrown into jail and so was I. He went to Attock, so did I. He went to Landhi jail, so did I. Nawaz Sharif was exiled, so was I. Even my family was exiled.”

“But what did I get? Nothing. There was only one thought in my mind [...] to work for the underprivileged,” the prime minister mentioned, lamenting the state in which people are living.

In her address, Minister for Informa­tion and Broadcasting Marriyum Au­rangzeb recalled the journey of progress marked by determined and resolved ef­forts by Prime Minister Shehbaz Shar­if during last 15 months. She said the prime minister managed to revive the course of development which was ini­tiated by the PML-N government in its previous tenure but was obstructed by the previous government.

‘HEALTH INSURANCE FOR JOURNALISTS, ARTISTS’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched the Health Insurance Card pro­gramme for media workers, artists and technicians attached to the film industry.

A Memorandum of Understanding for this purpose was signed between Minis­try of Information and Broadcasting and the State Life Insurance Corporation in Islamabad on Thursday.

Under the programme, an annual health insurance to cover medical ex­penditure worth 1.5 million rupees will be provided to the cardholders.

Speaking on this occasion, the Prime Minister said the agreement is of ut­most importance as it addresses the me­dia men and artists who work hard, even sometimes during tough working condi­tions, but remain deprived of basic ameni­ties in their lives. He said the government will provide them with health insurance coverage through budgetary allocations under the PM Program. He also instruct­ed the SLIC to provide efficient services to health insurance cardholders through hassle-free procedures. In her address, Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the registra­tion process for the health card has begun and health cards will formally be issued to the artists and media workers by next week. She said the gathering that health card would cover ambulance service, car­diac and other surgeries.

‘PM’S DIGITAL YOUTH HUB PORTAL’

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated “Prime Minister’s Digital Youth Hub Portal” today, aimed at integrating all the programmes and gov­ernment steps taken for development of youth. Addressing the launching cere­mony, he said the government is increas­ing the scope and reach of the Prime Minister’s Youth Progamme in the entire country at fast pace. The Prime Minis­ter assured that the government will uti­lize all available resources and take ev­ery possible step to empower the youth.

He said under this programme, high achiever male and female youth are be­ing provided loans on easy terms to earn their livelihood and so far 30 billion ru­pees loans have been disbursed among the talented deserved youth. He said the government is also distributing laptops under this programme among talented students and so far laptops worth bil­lions of rupees have been given to the students to get higher education.

Shehbaz Sharif said overall 80 billion rupees have been allocated by the in­cumbent government for youth develop­ment during the current fiscal year.

‘Clear and comprehensive policies’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the allied government formulated clear and comprehensive policies for completion of public welfare projects in the country.

He said this while presiding over the review meeting on the government’s performance targets in Islamabad on Thursday. He said the country was saved from risk of default and economy is moved towards stability. The prime min­ister said the caretaker government and next elected government will benefit from our institutional reforms.

Shehbaz Sharif said the government is leaving a plan of “Whole of the Govern­ment Approach” which will play a key role in economic development of the country. Earlier, the Prime Minister was apprised regarding government’s per­formance targets.

The meeting was informed that in the 15 months of the government, 16 per­cent increase in revenue and thirteen hundred thousand increase in the num­ber of active taxpayers was recorded.

Under the Benazir Income Support Program, government assistance was extended to ninety million additional deserving people. It was informed that receipts in electricity sector remained at 94 percent.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz Sharif here Thursday received World Junior Squash Champion Hamza Khan and also award­ed him a cheque of Rs1 million for his acknowledgment. Hamza Khan appreci­ated the prime minister as well as the cooperation he received from the Paki­stan Squash Federation.

The prime minister, who also interact­ed with Hamza’s parents in the Pashtu language, congratulated Hamza Khan for winning the World Junior Squash Cham­pionship held recently in Australia. 

PM reaffirms commitment to strength­en Pak-Iran relations

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen rela­tions with Iran in diverse fields.

He said this while talking to Foreign Minister of Iran, Hossein Amir Abdolla­hian who called on him in Islamabad on Thursday.

Underscoring the close brotherly rela­tions between two countries, the Prime Minister underscored the need to focus on enhancing cooperation in economic domain.