LAHORE - Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal called on Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif here yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that CPEC had proved a game changer for the country in the real sense, as it laid the foundation of fast-track development. He said that China was investing $55 billion in Pakistan and billions of dollars would be further pumped into this investment. The journey of development has been accelerated due to the launch of projects worth billions of rupees in Pakistan and the country is moving towards the goal of development and prosperity under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that Sahiwal Coal Power Plant, which was the maiden CPEC project, had been completed seven months before the deadline. Not only in China but in the entire world a 1320-megawatt project has never been completed in such a short period of time. The CPEC has opened new avenues of foreign investment in Pakistan, while Chinese investment to the tune of billions of rupees has created tremendous new job opportunities for the people of Pakistan. CPEC has also played its role in eradication of terrorism, fanaticism and poverty. The chief minister said that “our friends are happy with the CPEC project while the enemy is quite unnerved due to this gigantic project”. He vowed that no conspiracy would be allowed to succeed against CPEC, as the whole nation was united to expand the CPEC.

AILING SIBLINGS CALL ON CM

Three siblings of a Johar Town family, who are suffering from a complicated disease, called on Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif here yesterday.

The chief minister extended his heartfelt sympathies to 19 years old Nida Shahid, 17 years old Ahmed Zubair and 12 years old Aiman Shahid and told them that a medical board had been constituted for their treatment. In the light of recommendations of the board, arrangements will be made for medical treatment of these siblings. He assured them that the government would do everything for their treatment in the light of recommendations of the medical board.

Talking to the siblings and their parents, the chief minister said that arranging best treatment for the children was his obligation. He said the Punjab government would take every possible step for the treatment under the recommendations of the medical board.

Father of the children Shahid Zubair and his wife thanked the chief minister for constituting the medical board for the treatment of their children.

LAWMAKERS MEET SHEHBAZ

Members of the Punjab Assembly belonging to different districts of the province called on Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif at his assembly chamber here yesterday.

Talking to the assembly members, the chief minister said the Punjab government had presented a wonderful budget for the financial year 2017-18 and maintained that it would ensure balanced and speedy development. He said that special attention had been paid to education and healthcare, clean drinking water and social sector. He said that record funds had been allocated for rural and less developed areas of the province. Similarly, resources had been earmarked for improving the quality of life of the people of southern Punjab.

The members of the assembly who called on the chief minister were Chaudhry Mohsin Ashraf, Abu Hafs M Ghausuddin, Rana Munawar Hussain, Sardar Qaiser Abbas Khan Magsi, Chaudhry Shabir Ahmed Gujjar, Pir Ghulam Farid, M Ashraf Warraich, Bao Akhtar Ali and Ahmed Khan Baloch.

Also, a representative delegation of different minority communities led by Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs and Human Rights Khalil Tahir Sandhu called on the chief minister at his chamber and discussed matters of mutual interest.