LAHORE: Punjab Chief Mini­ster Shahbaz Sharif left for London on Sunday where his brother Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is to undergo an open-heart surgery on Tuesday.

Mr Shahbaz’s son Hamza Shahbaz, a member of the National Assembly, accompanied him.

In a statement issued before his departure, the chief minister chided his political opponents for what he said resorting to negative politics of protest to delay development projects.

“Unjustified sit-ins have delayed (execution of) energy projects. Had those staging sit-ins mended their ways, energy projects would have been in final stages of completion by now,” he said.

“Those indulging in negative politics have no concern with the difficulties and problems of people,” he said. “Those creating hurdles in the journey to progress ... are not well-wishers of the masses.”

Mr Shahbaz alleged that a handful of politicians, who did not want to see people prosper, were creating obstacles in the way of development to promote their personal interests. He vowed to make all out efforts for completing the projects that would change the fate of the country.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the journey to progress and prosperity of the nation will continue.”

The chief minister said that elimination of the energy crisis was essential for rapid industrial and economic development and that was why work was being carried out round the clock to overcome energy shortage. “The government is serious (in its plan) to control energy crisis and all-out steps are being taken for this purpose.”

Mr Shahbaz said that the PML-N leadership working hard to hand over a peaceful, prosperous and enlightened country to next generation.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2016