MANSEHRA: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said some elements are hatching conspiracies against his government, but he believes in prosperity and development of the country by launching mega projects.

“I was asked by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority to increase prices of petroleum products, but I refused to do so as prosperity and development of the country is dear to me.

“I will tackle those who are hatching conspiracies,” the prime minister told a public gathering after inaugurating the second phase of the Hazara motorway from Havalian to Shinkiari at Hazara University’s ground on Thursday.

He also inaugurated a project of gas supply to Oghi, Shinkiari and other areas of the district.

Inaugurates second phase of Hazara motorway

The prime minister focused in his entire 23-minute speech on counting of mega development projects which he had launched during his current tenure or before it.

He indirectly criticised his detractors, saying those hatching conspiracies were enemies of the country.

“You cannot believe how happy I am here to see shining faces as I am going to perform the groundbreaking of the historic second phase of the Hazara motorway.

“I am determined to put the country on the path of prosperity and development,” he said, adding that ending poverty and hunger and bringing the country on a par with developed nations were his agenda.

The prime minister said no change had been made in the original design of the Hazara motorway which was a six-lane motorway like other motorways in the country.

He claimed that duration of loadshedding had been brought down and it would completely end by 2018.

He said nobody could bring change to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and it was his government which had launched major development projects in the province since 1990.

“Those who are creating hurdles in the way of prosperity and development should think many times before taking such steps,” he added.

Mr Sharif said that besides roads and other infrastructures, his government was giving equal importance to education, adding that Rs660 million had already been granted to Hazara University and it would be given another Rs1 billion for providing quality education.

He said he had refused to increase the prices of different petroleum products by Rs3 to Rs3.50 per litre despite the fact that it would cost the national exchequer Rs8 billion. He said he would soon announce a reduction in electricity tariff.

The prime minister also announced that all 300 schools which had been destroyed by the devastating earthquake in 2005 and could not be included in the reconstruction plan would be built from grants of the federal government.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2016