Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday said a country can progress only in an environment of political stability and reiterated that the PML-N government would complete its constitutional term. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 47-km long section of the Burhan-Shah Maqsood interchange of the six-lane Hazara Motorway, he said the people of Pakistan know perfectly well who has served them sincerely and they would again vote the PML-N to power in the 2018 general election. He said political decisions are not taken at courts and through sit-ins and regretted that had there been no instability due to the sit-ins, the government could have done much more for the people.
Prime Minister Abbasi said the PML-N faced grave challenges and boldly confronted terrorism, economic meltdown and 'dirty politics' of sit-ins. He said only political stability and continuity can ensure progress of country and added that those want to topple the government, would be sadly disappointed.
He said he believes in politics of decency and without entering into a politics of verbal abuse and mudslinging, has done practical work to serve the masses. He termed the July 28, 2017 a difficult day for the government; the day when the then Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, was disqualified, and said the PML-N handled it well and those getting ready their 'sherwanis' will not gain anything.
He expressed the hope that the remaining section of the Hazara Motorway at Manshera would be inaugurated in May and said it was a challenge for the NHA that needs to be met.
He said the people of the area can express their gratitude at the time general election. He said the PML-N would again form the next government to ensure that the march towards prosperity and progress continues. Prime Minister Abbasi said it would have been better, if the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had inaugurated this project, as it was his vision.
He termed the opening of the road a revolutionary moment for the people of Hazara and said it would bring real change in the lives of people in real terms. He said former Prime Minister visualized this project and has to his credit the ground-breaking and opening up of an under-developed area.
He said the Motorway would serve as a milestone for the people of Hazara and generate economic activity besides allowing easier access to the people of Mansehra. He said almost 10 million population of the region would directly benefit from the opening up of the new road as it would attract hundreds and thousands of tourists from across the country. The Prime Minister said in nine-year rule of President Pervez Musharraf and five-year rule of President Asif Zardari, not even a single significant project was completed in this area. He said such projects need vision, commitment and sincerity of purpose.
He said the total length of motorways in the country would exceed 2600 km in the near future and link all areas of the country. He said President Musharraf, Asif Zardari and the KPK government need to say what they really did for this area. The Prime Minister said the country today has overcome loadshedding of electricity by adding a massive 11000MW to the national grid and natural gas and today Pakistan is exporting urea.
He was particularly appreciative of the Chinese company that came up with a quality project, that has been completed on time. The event was attended by Minster of Defence Khurram Dastgir, Minister for Foreign Affairs Kh Muhammad Asif, Minister for Communication Hafiz Abdul Karim, Minister for Relgious Affairs Sardar Yousuf, Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, Amir Muqam, Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan, Pir Sabir Shah, Babar Nawaz and others.