PM Shehbaz stresses for developing a consensus on charter of economy to transform Pakistan into an economic power


ISLAMABAD, August 14 (SABAH): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has stressed for developing a consensus on charter of economy to transform Pakistan into an economic power.

Addressing a national flag-hoisting and unveiling of re-recording ceremony of the national anthem here at the Jinnah Convention Center, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that like their forefathers, on this 75th Independence Day, they vowed to transform Pakistan into an economic power. “If we can become a nuclear power, we can also become an economic power but for it we have to strive day and night and prove to the world that we are no less than anyone in the world,” the prime minister added.

The ceremony was attended by federal ministers, parliamentarians, senior military and law enforcement agencies leadership and people belonging to all walks of live. 

“Pakistan Movement is a lesson for everyone which tells when a nation devised the course of its path, the mountain-like hurdles and seas like distances could not hamper them from achieving their goal,” the prime minister added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recalled that when Allama Iqbal dreamt about a separate motherland, a sense of pessimism was created that it was not feasible. 

“We salute the founding fathers of Pakistan who had smashed such sense of pessimism and due to their historic struggle, they are now breathing in an independence and sovereign country,” he added.

The prime minister said for decades, the Muslims in the sub-continent faced the foreign subjugation, they laid down their lives, gave immense sacrifices and made a historic migration and lost their near and dear ones in that perilous journey to achieve a separate country. 

They handed over an ideological country, he said and paid tribute to all those that lost their lives in the Independence Movement.  He said creation of Pakistan was a sacred trust and mission, the first phase of which was completed, but its second phase was still incomplete. “The mission is to give practical shape to those ideals which were reflected in March 23rd Resolution,” he added.

He said that on its independence, Pakistan was deprived of its due shares, but despite all those odds it made excellent progress in different fields as being the 7th in the world and 1st nuclear power of Islamic world. 

Late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto started the nuclear programme and former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif realized it, he maintained.

The prime minister said Pakistan had been playing a key role in the United Nations peacekeeping missions, its players had raised the national flag in different games. 

“It is a fact that we have made progress in different arenas, but the speed which with we have to achieve that mission, there were shortfalls which should be overcome,” he stressed. 

He also underlined the need for retrospection and reflection on the past history of the country by rectifying the mistakes.

The prime minister resolved that for making Pakistan an ideal nation-state as dreamt about by the founding fathers, they would be ready to shed the last drop their blood, foil enemies’ designs with the support of the brave armed forces and harness the true potential of youth to lead the future way.

The prime minister said that they were thankful to Allah Almighty for observing the 75th anniversary celebrations and lauded the contributions made by the Pakistani expatriates and their valuable part in the development and prosperity of the country. 

He also prayed for the liberation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Occupied Palestine from the illegal foreign occupation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressing his deep grief and sorrow over the recent losses in the flash floods, said the recent rainfalls caused destruction and huge losses in different parts of the country, especially in Balochistan as hundreds had lost their lives and children were left orphans. He prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

The prime minister said on this day, they also acknowledged the contributions of civil society members like late Abdul Sattar Edhi and Dr Ruth Pfau. The prime minister also highlighted the minorities’ role in Pakistan Movement and appreciated their sacrifices. 

He said Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had stressed on the religious freedom in the newly created Pakistan as there would be rule of law, constitution and democracy.

He said the government accorded high priority to realize the true potential of the country’s youth and expressed the optimism that youth would steer the future course of country’s progress and prosperity by following Quaid’s principles of unity and discipline. 

He urged them to transform Pakistan into an ideal state and economic power hub and accomplish the mission of its forefathers by discarding the begging bowl.

The prime minister also expressed his pleasure that the national anthem was re-recorded after 68th years, which was a beautiful bouquet of the national culture and appreciated efforts of the ministry of information, ISPR and others for its re-recording.

Chairman Senate Mir Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, Speaker National Assembly Raja Parvez Ashraf, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Federal Ministers Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Maulana Asad Mahmood, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Israr Ahmed Tareen, Sherry Rehman, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Balochistan Awami Party Parliamentary Leader in NA Mir Khalid Hussain Magsi, Advisor to PM on Political Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam Khan, SAPM Ataullah Tarar Advocate, parliamentarians, armed forces officials and foreign dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formally inaugurated the Rawal Chowk flyover here in Islamabad on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister directed the authorities to complete the Bharakahu flyover project in next four months.

Appreciating the spirit involved in speedy completion of Rawal Chowk flyover project, the Prime Minister also directed to complete the intracity public transport project within a month.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday urged the people to actively take part in the monsoon plantation drive to revert the negative impacts of climate change.

Talking to media after planting a sapling under monsoon plantation drive, the prime minister said that climate change had wreaked havoc across the globe. 

He said Pakistan was also bracing the effects of climate change and global warming in shape of heavy rainfalls and flash floods that caused huge losses.

He said due to the negative impacts of climate changes, glaciers were being melted and rivers were going dry.

The prime minister stressed upon taking of massive steps and creation of awareness campaigns to save the future of the country’s generations.

“I would like to urge people to take part in the drive, increase forest cover and turn Pakistan green,” he added. He also appreciated efforts of Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman.