SHEIKHUPURA - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said his government was building the real new Pakistan and taking all steps to make it “Asian Tiger”.

While inspecting progress on the M3 Section, the PM said he was pleased to note the pace of construction and its high quality. He said his government was undertaking a series of projects across the country, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He claimed in next few years, Pakistan would emerge as a strong economy and power of the region.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif invited his political rivals to visit various mega projects, including motorway, electricity-generating units and others, so that they could know the government is working to make the country prosperous.

He said Pakistan would be the new Asian tiger that would connect the entire country with all the regional countries. “This is Pakistan of 21st century and this is called the new Pakistan,” Prime Minister Sharif said. He lashed out at the opposition, saying his government would continue to march ahead on the path of progress and prosperity by undertaking huge development projects.

“We were neither afraid of them in the past nor would we be frightened in the future. The people of Pakistan now look towards us and not towards them as their future is with us,” he said.

He said the motorway would soon link Peshawar to Karachi with a six-lane high-quality road. He said Gwadar Port would be connected to China, ensuring rapid transportation of goods.

The prime minister said the PML-N government has reconstructed the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway which would serve the nation for several decades, adding today the worth of its asset has risen from Rs 25 billion to Rs 500 billion. He said the worth of the national assets was multiplying rapidly.

He said after his forced ouster in 1999, not even a single large development project was undertaken. Terrorism was rife and lives of the people were at stake, but today peace is returning to the cities and towns, the economy is strengthening and the world is acknowledging the country’s rise, he claimed.

The prime minister said today Balochistan has left its restive past behind and progress and development can be seen across the province. He said politics of confrontation and sit-ins has done no good to the nation. “Let the pace of progress and development move ahead at a fast pace and let the people of Pakistan reap its benefit,” he said.

The prime minister also appreciated the performance and quality of work by the Chinese railways and ZKB.

Later, the National Highway Authority chairman briefed the prime minister about the motorway’s M3 Section on which 44 percent work has been completed. He was informed that it was scheduled to be operational by March 2018, while efforts were underway to complete it earlier.

“Staging sit-ins and protests are no solution to any problem. Those working for the country’s development schemes and works the nation would emerge victorious in the upcoming general elections. He said his political rivals were bent upon creating hurdles and obstructions in the way of progress. “We are not afraid of our opponents’ nefarious designs and will continue our journey to provide relief to the masses,” he said.

“Let the pace of progress and development move ahead at a fast pace and let the people of Pakistan reap its benefit,” he said.

The prime minister also appreciated the performance and quality of work by the Chinese railways and ZKB.

Later, the National Highway Authority chairman briefed the prime minister about the motorway’s M3 Section on which 44 percent work has been completed. He was informed that it was scheduled to be operational by March 2018, while efforts were underway to complete it earlier.

“Staging sit-ins and protests are no solution to any problem. Those working for the country’s development schemes and works the nation would emerge victorious in the upcoming general elections. He said his political rivals were bent upon creating hurdles and obstructions in the way of progress.

“We are not afraid of our opponents’ nefarious designs and will continue our journey to provide relief to the masses,” he said.