Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Friday said it was the government's top priority to ensure the establishment of peace in the country as it was vital to make progress, prosperity and development in real terms. "We are striving towards establishing peace across the country, as it would bring about prosperity, attract investment, and help check poverty, unemployment and illiteracy," he said while addressing a ceremony to distribute cheques among the families of the rain-storm victims here in the provincial metropolis.
The Prime Minister said that he had just come from Khajuri Check-Post in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, where he met the internally displaced persons (IDPs), who were returning to their homes after spending about one year in camps due to the Zarb-e-Azb operation. He said the sanctuaries of terrorists had been destroyed and eliminated in North Waziristan and peace restored there. The government, he added, was striving to establish peace across the country.
"The people of Karachi are now more satisfied as the incidents of street crimes, terrorism, Bhatta Khori (extortion) and targeted killings have significantly decreased. The lights of Karachi are being restored," he remarked. The Prime Minister said with peace being restored, a marked reduction in the incidents of terrorism across country was witnessed.
Referring to the government's development agenda, he said the entire region would benefit from fast development of infrastructure and construction of roads and motorways network in the country. He mentioned the historic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project in this respect and said all the four provinces as well as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan would benefit from it.
He said the road networks would be established from Gwadar to Khunjrab. Gwadar would be developed as an international city and there would be a lot of development in other parts of Balochistan as well. The Prime Minister said LNG (liquefied natural gas) would be used to generate electricity, which would help eliminate loadshedding. "For achieving all this, peace is an important factor," he remarked and vowed to tackle all challenges facing the country, including terrorism and energy shortages.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while lauding the sacrifices of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of North Waziristan on Friday said that the government will employ all resources for their rehabilitation in their areas. "We will provide resources for the reconstruction of your houses. It is our duty, as you have shown courage and tolerance and rendered sacrifices for the establishment of peace in the area," he said while addressing the IDPs of North Waziristan upon their return to their native areas.
The process of IDPs' return to their homes was continuing since March 2015. The Prime Minister expressed the hope that with the end of terrorism due to the Zarb-e-Azb operation in North Waziristan, not only would the tribal areas become the cradle of peace, the rest of the country will also witness an improved law and order situation. Nawaz reiterated the government's resolve to launch development projects in tribal areas and said schools, colleges and hospitals would be constructed in the area.
The Prime Minister commended the services and sacrifices of the officers and jawans of the country's armed forces, who he said played a pivotal role in the elimination of terrorism through the Zarb-e-Azb operation. "Well done, the armed forces did good job, for which they deserve all praise. They eliminated terrorism from the area and established peace. Now you (IDPs) can live there in peace," he remarked. The Prime Minister also lauded the armed forces for properly looking after the IDPs during their temporary stay in camps. He assured the IDPs that the government and the armed forces would ensure the security of the IDPs, who were returning to their homes, as well as their areas.
The Prime Minister said he will also visit North Waziristan soon and meet them in their area. The Prime Minister on this occasion also distributed gifts among the IDPs, who were returning to their homes. Governor Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa, Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan Abbasi, Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), Lt-Gen (Abdul Qadir Baloch (retd) and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif were present on the occasion. Political Secretary to PM, Dr Asif Kirmani and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Marvi Memon were also present on the occasion.
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