LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif watched a demonstration of the tree transplant machine in Jauhar Town on Sunday.

Talking to media later, he promised to make the facility available in the entire province.

He also congratulated civil society and the Save Lahore Movement but complained that they went to the court against cutting of trees for various projects but did not inform the government about the technique (to save the trees).

Continuing his diatribe against political rivals, Shahbaz Sharif alleged that through the agitational politics the opponents were aiming against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) instead of electioneering for 2018 polls.

“…the target of head of a political party is not 2018 elections but the CPEC, on which work is being carried out round the clock and projects under the CPEC,” he said .

Referring to various development projects, he said 1,320-MW Sahiwal Coal Power Project would be completed eight months before its stipulated period in June 2017 as Chinese companies had given the assurance in this regard.

About the metro train, he recalled that counsel of the PTI and PPP leveled allegations of corruption worth billions of rupees in the Lahore High Court but the court did not say even a single word in its judgment against certain parts of the project.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2016