BISHAM: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Saturday urged the opposition parties to shun differences and move towards holding free, fair and transparent election in the country.
Election is the only process to reach the power corridors, the Prime Minister said while addressing a function after inaugurating a 72 MW Khankhwar hydropower project in the mountainous Bisham district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Raja Ashraf said that he did not have differences with any opposition party and all should make collective efforts towards holding free and fair election. He said that a consensus Chief Election Commissioner had been appointed because "we do not want any hanky panky in the polling process."
He said that he had never made any effort to manipulate elections rather "we are victims of conspiracies".
The Prime Minister said the present government would "remain in power till the time the Almighty wants". Some people had been giving time and date for the departure of the government but all such speculations fizzled out with the passage of time, he added. He said no effort should be made to destabilise the government and added that collective efforts were needed to steer the country out the present crisis.
The Prime Minister said that he was sincere in establishing cordial relations with the opposition parties.
The Prime Minister regretted that the dictators had ruled the country for more than 10 years in one go but noone stopped them from their unconstitutional actions, but an elected government was unnecessarily being targeted.
He said that all the hydro power projects, including Nelum Jehlum, Dober, Kohala and Dasu, would be taken up for overcoming the energy crisis. The future of the country lies in increasing hydro power generation, he said, adding that work on the Thar Coal project had already been initiated.
The Prime Minister, referring to the energy crisis, said that demand for power was increasing whereas the previous regimes did not add a single MW to the national grid.
He said whenever the PPP came to power it had to face tremendous challenges which it faced with courage and determination. He referred to the electreicity crisis in 1993 when Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was in power. In order to overcome the crisis, she had given the task to the IPPs, but that programme was subjected to criticism, he added.
Resultantly the investors forwith stopped investment in the IPPs, besides some investors were put behind bars by Saifurehman, he added.
However, he said, Benazir Bhutto government managed to add 4000 MW power to the national grid through IPPs. Had the IPPs not introduced what would have been the power situation now, he asked. The Prime Minister said that there should be no politicking on matters of national interest and propaganda, that damages the country, should be avoided.
He said now everyone in the country was advocating for generating power through the IPPs (independent power producers), which were launched by Benazir Bhutto 20 years ago.
After Mangla, Tarbela and Ghazi Barotha (initiated by BB), which other scheme in the hydro power sector has been initiated, the Prime Minister asked.
"I also want to install a tent in Thar area for the execution of coal project, he said, and added "We do not believe in hollow slogans, we all are patriotic people."
The Prime Minister said, "We will neither blame anyone nor respond to the criticism."
He said that he was proud to be from a middle class. He was also proud of his coalition partners, who elected him with a two-third majority, he added. "I am ready to serve those people, who want to serve the country in true sense," the Prime Minister said.
He said that the opposition always pointed out flaws in the government policies but it should also acknowledge the good work done by the PPP-led government, such as the 7th NFC Award, autonomy to the provinces, and giving identity to the Pakhtuns by renaming their province as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). Renaming the KPK has strengthened the federation, he added.
Another achievement by the present government is restoring the 1973 Constitution to its original form by annulling the amendments made by the dictators, he said and added that when the government came into power Pakistan was importing wheat but today the commodity was being exported.
He paid tribute to the people of KPK for their relentless struggle in the war against terrorism, which had no precedent in the world.
He also lauded the Chinese engineers and workers for their day and night work for materialising the project. "There is no phrase in the books which can be used to explain Pak-China friendship," he added. He said that Pak-China friendship was time-tested.
Referring to the demaqnds presented by WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani in his welcome address, the Prime Minister sanctioned a grid station at Bisham and approved a cadet college.
He also announced one month salary for Wapda employees working on the Khankhwar project. The PM also approved setting up a passport office in Bisham. He directed the Wapda authorities to fully honour all agreements made with the local people.
The ceremony was addressed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti, Minister for Water and Power Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar and the WAPDA Chairman.