PM inaugurates Nandipur project; invites protesting elements to work for country’s de

[Salman]

PM inaugurates Nandipur project; invites protesting elements to work for country’s development

GUJRANWALA: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Saturday inaugurated first phase of Rs 58 billion Nandipur Power Project and called upon certain opposition parties to shun their protesting agenda for the sake of national interests and lend support to Federal government's efforts aimed at attaining fast track progress and prosperity.
The first turbine of 425 MW Nandipur Power Project started producing 95 MW of power in the initial stage. The four-unit project would be completed by the end of this year in cooperation of Dongfang Electric Corporation China.
The Prime Minister told the gathering that it was a matter of great rejoice that the first power unit of this project had started functioning in the record period of about seven months.
He said that he had already laid down foundation stones of two projects in Port Qasim with power capacity of 1320 MW, besides another coal fired power project in Sahiwal with the same power capacity.
The rapid speed with which the foundation stones of such like projects were being laid down and completed had never been witnessed in Pakistan's history, he added.
Agreeing with Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif's views over the gross negligence and corruption of the past which made the machinery of Nandipur project to rust at Karachi port for three years, maintained that a notice in this regard should be taken.
He regretted that due to such delay and corruption, loss of billions of rupees was incurred upon the national kitty and also cited Neelum Jehlum Project where its cost jumped manifold.
The Prime Minister lamented that for completion of national projects loans were acquired and frittered away recklessly without caring the interests of poor and toiling segments of the society.
Prime Minister Sharif vowed to come up to the expectations of the masses which had expressed their complete confidence in the leadership of PML-N.
"We are not only completing projects in the areas where we got massive votes, but also in those areas where others got the mandate," he said, adding, the people who were raising hue and cry should also know that the PML-N government would continue with the network of development projects throughout the country irrespective of such things.
The Prime Minister said that it was his nation and very dear to him. "We will work throughout the length and breadth of the country. We shall work to complete Lahore-Karachi motorway in the current tenure for which Rs 55 billion has been earmarked for land acquisition," he resolved.
Calling upon a bunch of critics, the Prime Minister said those elements that were protesting should also reconsider that the government was working for the progress and prosperity of the country through a string of unprecedented projects.
They should support the government in its endeavours for national progress and prosperity and realize whether the country might be left in the darkness or lit up with hope and prosperity, he added.
The PM also referred to Karachi operation which was initiated to restore its image of a city of lights and said the crimes rate there had been brought down.
He said they were on daily basis consulting how to root out the scourge of terrorism and extremism from the country.
"The agenda of protest is beyond comprehension. Why they are agitating Whether they are against progress and prosperity of the country, removal of darkness, creation of job opportunities, youth employment scheme, setting up power plants, Kashghar to Khunjrab and Raikot to Islamabad links or protesting against projects like Nandipur or the future ones," he expressed his astonishment.
He said they were working for good governance and stability of democracy in Pakistan but a set of people were bent upon protests, questioning them whether destruction of the country was their agenda or its development! "For God's sake let the country head on the path of progress, " he added.
He said the government was working upon Diamer Bhasha dam with power capacity of 4,500MW for which an amount of Rs40 billion was allocated four days back for land acquisition.
The work on the Dasu dam located on Indus River would also generate about 4,500MW of power and both these projects in Northern Areas would add 9,000MW altogether in the national grid, he added.
The Prime Minister also informed that during the last 65 years, a total of 23,000MW power was generated in Pakistan, but a number among the generating units were closed due to obsolete technology.
He said the government would add 21,000 MW to the national grid to overcome the power issue.
Appreciating the fast track progress in Punjab province, the Prime Minister said that various uplift projects were being completed within few months instead of years.
He said the upgradation of railways was underway whereas a railway line would be laid down from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad.
The fiscal policies should secure interest of the farmers, labourers and business class and such proposals were made in the upcoming budget, he said, adding that a number of educational institutions and cancer research institutes would be set up.
About Gwadar, the Prime Minister said that the government was endeavouring to bring it at par with Lahore and Karachi.
A state of the art airport would be built and Gwadar be brought a par with Hong Kong and Dubai in terms of development, he added.
He also thanked the Chinese leadership and the Chinese company for helping Pakistan in execution of various mega projects and vowed to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation further.
He also lauded tireless efforts of captain (Retd) Mehmood director of Nandipur Project, Punjab Chief Minister and all concerned government functionaries for their contributions.
He opined Pakistanis like Mahmood should be conferred with medals and announced three months bonus for all the workers on his part and an additional three months bonus on behalf of the Punjab CM.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2014