Projecting positivity

As CM Shahbaz puts it, ensuring peace and having good relations is PML-N govt's top priority

Everyone knows that Punjab Chief Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif is famous for his remarkable suiting, a glimpse of which again was noticed at a diplomats' conference in Islamabad.

From suit selection to its color and shoes, everything gave an amazing look. There is a common perception about the CM Punjab that he takes huge care of his dressing, and at the same time his dress selection is very simple and elegant. It is observed that Mian Shahbaz often repeats his suiting, but he definitely knows how to carry them, and his body language speaks volumes of it.

Dressing appropriately especially becomes more important when one is representing his country at an international forum. As people are foreseeing Mian Shahbaz as the future PM, he is now more vigilant with regard to his overall presentation, which is commendable.

Speaking on this memorable occasion, the CM Punjab also spoke like a true national leader, and presented details of his delivery model in Punjab that have brought remarkable changes to the lives of people there.

Mian Shahbaz in his speech categorically said that Pakistan is a peace-loving country and Pakistani people are wonderful, hard working and peace lovers. It needs leadership which has the determination to serve the people and resolve their problems. The Pakistani political leadership needs to have consensus on the economic roadmap. Parties and governments come and go but the economic agenda of the nation should not change.

The CM Punjab in a wonderful manner stated the objective of this conference, which is to tell the world about the PML-N's superb performance of the past and vision of the future. He said that the PML-N as a political party is working on the ideology of the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal, and it is moving forward while acting up on their vision.

The significant part of Mian Shahbaz's address was giving an insight into the sacrifices that Pakistan has made in the global war against terror, through proper historical background. He said Pakistan had faced difficult circumstances in 1979 as it became a frontline state in a huge war in Afghanistan at that time.

Pakistan then again became a frontline state in 2002 in the war against terrorism, and during this war Pakistan gave sacrifice of more than 70,000 lives, which include officers and soldiers of Pak Army, security institutions and common Pakistani, even the children. The Pakistani nation displayed determination and encourage in this war, and success in this war is the result of consensus between military and political leadership. In the Swat operation of 2009, Zarb-e-Azab of 2014 and the current operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, political and military leaderships remained on the same page. He said Pakistan Army has rendered great sacrifices in the war against terrorism started after the 9/11, and also it is Pakistan that has discharged the duty of keeping the largest number of refugee population. He further stated that Pakistan has a long history of being a responsible state at the international level, and we have always respected the resolutions of the United Nations and the international treaties. Ensuring peace and having good relations is our top priority.

Reflecting the great performance of PML-N, he said that there party has taken concrete measures to strengthen economy, due to which country's economy is strong enough and the GDP reached 5.8 percent, which is highest in the last 13 years. Similarly the ratio of agriculture progress remained 3.8%. He perfectly said that we are facing the challenges of deficit, and we have to resolve it by promoting trade not by taking loans. According to him, we have to utilize natural resources for progress and development of the nation. Sixty per cent of the population of Pakistan consists of youth, and we should impart them with the latest skills to change the fate of the nation. The PML-N government has ensured skilled manpower as per needs of the market in its tenure.

Moreover, he said that brilliant changes have been brought in health and the education sectors in the Punjab province. Culture of hospitals has been changed, and CT Scan machines from foreign countries have been installed at all District Headquarter Hospitals (DHQs). The machines installed with public private partnership are working round-the-clock. We have learnt from the experiments of various countries.

The renowned American broadcaster and philosopher Bo Bennett once gave beautiful opinion on attributes of leadership. He said, “Without initiative, leaders are simply workers in leadership positions.”

The today's historic address to Ambassadors also signifies Mian Shahbaz’s nationalistic approach, and this is what the great Zulfikar Ali Bhutto did which eventually made Pakistan People's Party (PPP) a strong political force. This is where the words of Bo Bennett perfectly sum up CM Punjab’s superb attitude to work for the betterment of Pakistan, and putting behind the differences.

The writer has completed MPhil in Mass Communication from Beaconhouse National University, and passionately loves travelling and cricket.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt