No magic wand to end energy crisis overnight: PM Nawaz
17 July, 2014
CHAKWAL: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday underscored that it would take time to resolve the country's problems, saying Pakistan was faced with load shedding even before the previous government came to power, and that the last two governments had failed to root out the energy crisis.
Nawaz said it would take some time to streamline the national institutions for their smooth functioning. He said the electricity crisis could not be resolved overnight "as the previous governments did not take any concrete measures to resolve the issue and it was his government that had taken up this task on war footing".
The prime minister said that 26 power projects have been launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab. "We have inherited an empty exchequer. Two previous governments did nothing to get rid of load shedding, whereas we have started working to eliminate power crises. This is being done for the first time in country's history," he claimed.
The premier was speaking in Chakwal after he laid the foundation of two projects worth Rs 9 million, including Chakwal-Sohawa Road and Chakwal-Rawalpindi. Nawaz said that the projects are expected to be completed within 12-15 months. On the occasion, the premier also said that when he came to power, the country's treasury had been empty.
Nawaz said others should be tendering their resignations and not him. He said the value of dollar had declined during his tenure, but those who had promised to resign on that account had retracted their statements. Nawaz regretted that the politicians who did not make any contribution to the country's development were the biggest critics of the government.
"Only one year has passed, you will see that prosperity will come in next four years. It will take time to correct past mistakes," he said. The premier stressed that if attention was paid to coal and water resources, cheap electricity could be sourced from these. He said the government wanted to establish peace in the country, and that it hoped that the people could commute and travel in peace even late into the night.
The prime minister said the present government has launched unprecedented development projects, including in the energy and infrastructure sectors, in the last one year and several more projects will be launched in the times to come to bring positive change in the lives of common man.
Nawaz Sharif said the government is not oblivious to its responsibilities and is working with good intent to pull the country out of all crises. He assured that prosperity will reach every nook and corner of the country during the next four years. Separately, Nawaz said time was needed in order to reform the government institutions.
Earlier, the prime minister laid the foundation-stone of 130 kilometre Mandra-Chakwal and Sohawa-Chakwal double roads. Both roads will be completed in one and a half years' time at a total cost of over Rs 8.5 billion. Sixty-six kilometer Sohawa-Chakwal road will be completed at a cost of Rs 4.34 billion, while Mandra-Chakwal road will be completed at a cost of Rs 4.25 billion.
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