Coalition govt sacrificed their politics for the sake of country & to save it from economic default: PM Shehbaz
ISLAMABAD, August 09 (SABAH): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif says the coalition government actively worked for welfare and prosperity of the country during a very short span of 16 months.
Addressing the farewell meeting of the Federal Cabinet in Islamabad on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the coalition government sacrificed their politics for the sake of the country and to save it from economic default.
He said the country was badly affected by the floods last year and rehabilitation of the flood hit people was a big challenge for the government.
PM Shehbaz Sharif lauded the efforts of NDMA, Pak Army and all other rescue institutions which worked for the rehabilitation of flood affected people.
He said Rs 80 billion have been distributed transparently among the flood affected people across the country under Benazir Income Support Programme. About inflation, the Prime Minister said the previous government is responsible for the present price hike in country, but the incumbent government took difficult decisions to strengthen the national economy.
The Prime Minister thanked for valuable support of Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Reham, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Khalid Maqbool Siddique, Aimal Walli Khan, Khalid Magsi, Nawab Akhtar Mengal, Aslam Bhootani, Aftab Khan Sherpao, Allama Sajid Mir, Shah Zain Bugti and Abdul Malik Baloch for running the government affairs. He appreciated the leadership of the allied government for their valuable contribution, positive criticism, and support during the tenure.
Referring to the IMF agreement, Shehbaz Sharif said we have made no politics over the agreement with IMF. He lauded the support of Chinese ex-premier in this regard.
Shehbaz Sharif termed the Chinese 25 billon dollars investment in the second phase of CPEC saying that long awaited projects of CPEC regarding energy and water completed in Gwadar with the special attentions of Balochistan government. He thanked the Chinese government for rollover of its five billion dollars commercial loans.
About 9th May violent incidents and attacks on national installations, the Prime Minister said under a well hatched conspiracy against state, Pak Army and Chief of Army Staff, such attacks were carried out and martyrs monuments were disgraced.
He termed it terrorism and reaffirmed that the culprits involved in these attacks will be brought to justice at all cost.
He said the Army Chief and force showed restraint, otherwise, the situation would have been much deteriorated.
The Prime Minister stressed the need of political harmony among federal and provincial governments and all political parties to bring the country out of crises.
He thanked all the provincial Chief Ministers and government officers who contributed and supported the government during the last sixteen months.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif announced a special package for overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Under the package, special courts and hotlines will be established across the country for resolution of property issues of the overseas Pakistanis.
The package includes establishment of overseas Pakistani commissions in all other provinces on the pattern of Punjab, dedicated immigration counters for overseas Pakistanis at all international airports of the country and dedicated national savings schemes by for overseas Pakistanis at attractive rates.
The package also provides reservation of ten percent quota for overseas Pakistanis in all public sector housing schemes, five percent reserved seats for their children in professional public sector institutions across Pakistan and need-based and merit scholarships for their children to pursue higher education in Pakistan and abroad.
Under the package, Halls of Fame will established at all Pakistani missions abroad to recognize top ten Pakistani remitters while camp offices will also be set up in overseas Pakistanis concentration areas in the country to make the online attestation of documents more effective.
NADRA system will be linked with Union Councils for issuance of marriage, divorce, birth and death certificates to overseas Pakistanis while number of NADRA facilitation counters will also be increased in missions and embassies abroad.
Online biometric verification of overseas Pakistanis will also be made possible to facilitate them in getting their accounts pen, property sale purchase and other matters.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that overseas Pakistanis are valuable asset of the country and if they are provided professional skills, it will enhance their efficiency and contribution manifold.
He said the coalition government has made every possible effort during the last 15 months to facilitate the overseas Pakistanis.
Earlier, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajid Hussain Turi said more than One point two million people have been send abroad for employment opportunities.
He said overseas Pakistanis are the valuable assets of the country who are sending their remittances to the country as the government tried hard to resolve their issues.
The Minister said the government is initiating establishment of Housing societies for the overseas Pakistanis.
Sajid Hussain Turi said the Ministry has renewed the passports of overseas by working in double shifts, which were blocked for certain reasons.
The government plans to construct an Olympic village spanning over 1200 Kanals in the foothills of Margalla in Islamabad.
Meanwhile a meeting to discuss the project was held in Islamabad on Wednesday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair.
The meeting was informed that this Olympic village will have international standard sports facilities like cricket academy, international cricket stadium, hockey ground, tent pegging, athletics stadium, indoor sports, international hotel and parking along with other facilities.
The project will be completed at an estimated cost of 3 billion rupees.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure transparency in the construction of the sports village.
He said a corporate structure be developed for the construction supervision of the Olympic Village by experts. He said sports activities are inevitable for mental and physical wellbeing of the youth.
Mentioning some of government’s initiatives for promotion of sports in the country, the Prime Minister said foundation stone of Pakistan’s first sports university has been laid in Islamabad.