Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday urged the nation to move forward with determination and concerted efforts to regain Pakistan's grandeur and stature, APP reported.
While addressing the inauguration of Bhara Kahu Bypass, the prime minister said the country's eastern neighbor had made significant strides, but if the nation was committed to taking the country forward, as Quaid-e-Azam dreamed and pursued by Nawaz Sharif in the 1990s, there was no need to worry.
Started in October 2022, the project was executed by NLC within nine months' time, costing Rs 6.25 billion. It has removed a major bottleneck for millions of commuters traveling to Muree, Kashmir, and Galliyat from across the destination, besides remarkably reducing their travel time.
The prime minister, who inaugurated the project, said throughout his political career and during all of his interactions, his only intention had been to serve the poor masses who had been faced with tough conditions of life.
But, he said the previous governments had been wasting billions of rupees from the national kitty by impeding public projects, and exemplified Haveli Bahadur Shah Power Plant which was stopped despite having spent billions of rupees which otherwise could have been used for public interest project.
Calling the Bahara Kahu bypass’s inauguration a moment of satisfaction, the prime minister said the project would ease the difficulties of travelers of Islamabad, Punjab, and KP visiting AJK and Galliyat.
He said the project should have been completed years ago but the incumbent conceived it and managed to accomplish it within nine months despite challenges including a land dispute with Quaid-e-Azam University which was settled through court.
The prime minister said he had given a three-month target for the project completion which was also achievable had there been no challenges.
He said Bhara Kahu Bypass was also the vision of Nawaz Sharif’ whose government was removed through the “worst conspiracy” and the projects of his government were impeded.
He said the government completed the Metro Bus Project within no time which had been suspended by the previous government.
He told the gathering that the after the opening of LCs the environment-friendly electric buses were set to reach Islamabad for the facilitation of the residents of Islamabad.
The prime minister instructed the CDA to plant a million trees around the Bhara Kahu Bypass, though around 70,000 have already been planted.
The prime minister thanked the party leadership for their support and contribution to the project and instructed the CDA to beautify Islamabad like Baku of Azerbaijan.
He also appreciated the Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir for his dedicated support for the project.
In her address, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb recalled the journey of progress marked by determined and resolved efforts by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the last 15 months.
She said the prime minister managed to revive the course of development which was initiated by the PML-N government in its previous tenure but was obstructed by the previous government.
She said within a short span of 15 months, the incumbent government provided relief to the people from across the country, be it free flour distribution or relief works during floods. The prime minister turned the instability into economic prosperity, she added.
She appreciated the prime minister for reviving the journey of economic development that had been initiated by Nawaz Sharif.
The minister said she had never seen such massive development works across the federal capital as the residents always yearned to have infrastructure and landscape as was developed by Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore and other parts of Punjab.
She questioned if the incumbent government could execute the projects like Bhara Kahu Bypass and others within 15 months, then why those who always criticized others failed to do so during their four years of government.
The minister said for public facilitation, all of the Islamabad Metro routes have been linked with Airport and residential sectors.
Former minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said for the first time, CDA was carrying out development works in rural areas of Islamabad.
He said projects worth Rs200 billion were launched in Islamabad and 90% of those had been completed.
CDA Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal said the CDA was spending Rs20 billion for the uplift of Islamabad’s rural areas.
He said 55 parks and Sunday bazaars were being established in the rural belt.
PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi said the projects including Karnal Sher Khan Road, 7th Avenue Interchange, and Islamabad Expressway project were completed by the incumbent government.
He said an Olympics Village and Food Street were being developed in Islamabad to facilitate the residents.