PM Nawaz addresses budget debate session in NA

Dawn.com Published June 11, 2015

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday while addressing the National Assembly said that motorways will be built in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan as well.

The budget discussion at the House enters its third day as Premier Sharif shed light on the country's infrastructural development projects.

"We initiated [the motorway] in Lahore and from there we went to Peshawar," PM Nawaz recalled. "It was not supposed to end in Lahore...it was to be built till Karachi and Gwadar."

In response to points raised by Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Nawab Ali Wassan, the premier said that progress on the Hyderabad-Karachi motorway is underway.

He further said that in the past, the project came to an end when his government had previously ended in the early 90s. He added that in 1997 his government again conceived of a project to build a motorway till Karachi.

Similarly, the premier said that there will be a motoway from Lahore to Multan and Multan to Sukkur, which comes under the Pak-China Economic Corridor (PCEC).

"Our government also made a coastal highway from Gwadar to Karachi," PM Nawaz said. "We have started construction in Gwadar and want to make it Pakistan’s best city and district."

He went on to stress importance of Gwadar and making it a duty-free port.

"Gwadar should be given the status of a free port and a new administrative system and unit should be developed there," PM Nawaz said. "Like Gulf countries, Gwadar should also become a duty-free port and have the same progress as countries like Singapore, Dubai and Hongkong."

The premier also acknowledged PPP's efforts and mentioned the Attabad Lake. "A tunnel is being constructed a few kilometres away from the lake, on which around Rs27 billion are being spent," he said.

He acknowledged that PPP started the project and said it was a positive move.

Also read: Severe attacks mar first live budget debate

The opposition in both houses of parliament had on Monday refused to participate in the debate on the budget unless the government agreed to arrange live coverage of all speeches through the state-run PTV, forcing a day’s postponement of the debate.

Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Ahmed Shah was temperate in criticising the government for missed targets in the outgoing financial year and perceived deficiencies in the new budget while opening the debate in the National Assembly.

The federal cabinet last week approved the budget for the fiscal year 2015-16 (FY2015-16), with a total outlay of Rs4.313 trillion, which is 9.1 per cent higher than the revised 2014-15 outlay of Rs3.9tr.

Know more: Ishaq Dar eyes 7pc growth by tenure end

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar while presenting the budget for fiscal year 2015-16 on the floor of the National Assembly said a growth rate target of 5.5pc had been set for the upcoming year, which he said is budgeted to reach 7pc by the end of PML-N government's tenure in 2017-18

Before announcing the budget, the minister briefed the cabinet about the salient features of the budget and said measures have been proposed which may enhance exports, industrial growth, and employment.

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sonny afridi

Jun 11, 2015 01:58pm

Yes Govt has done the best it can, a good proactive growth oriented budget , well done.

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Imran

Jun 11, 2015 02:12pm

motorway motorway motorway.... and speech ends :/

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Good Pakistani Girl

Jun 11, 2015 02:39pm

Its ironic that PPP is taking the lead on Budget discussion, the party which never had a proper finance minister, or any appropriate financial policy. Other parties should come forward in budget discussion.

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Good Pakistani Girl

Jun 11, 2015 02:40pm

@Imran I am in favor of Motorways, its not safe to travel on National Superhighway Highway or Indus Highway.

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nafees

Jun 11, 2015 03:21pm

The poor man has no access to education, cannot afford two meals per day, cannot get medical treatment and does not own a car. What should we provide him -- motorway, metro bus, education, healthcare or food ?

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PHILOSOPHER (from Japan)

Jun 11, 2015 03:30pm

No need to address Mr. PM..its a family budget or family-made budget... can any one points out when the pre-budget meetings have done and what was the outcome (if any). It is a family budget because Mr.Dar (Samdhi) made it Mr. Shahbaz (brother) checked it and you implement it..

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Kashif Khan

Jun 11, 2015 03:56pm

@Good Pakistani Girl The answer is to fix law enforcement not build another motorway. Feeding a hungry nation and providing them with jobs and opportunity is more important than some silly motorway. Poor prioritization.

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Ahmad

Jun 11, 2015 03:59pm

Still don't know why the hell this PMLN government wants to have Lahore in CPEC. Lahore is already well developed and it is the right of other cities to get infrastructure projects. But unfortunately for PMLN Lahore is Pakistan and Lahore only is Pakistan.

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Mustafa

Jun 11, 2015 04:25pm

PM Nawaz should understand that Motorways and Metro are not solution to our problems.There are other sectors to be looked after.Sadly there is lack of vision as I see it from way Nawaz Sharif thinks and articulates.

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shoro

Jun 11, 2015 04:29pm

what's wrong with the thinking of this nation - why can't we just think beyond transport and highways - there is much more to life than these cosmetic things . The more pressing concerns are redressing issues such as lack of quality education, providing for basic necessities - water, gas, electricity, security for masses. For God's sake governments get your priorities straight. Unfortunately, it appears that there is no political forum or force that seriously aims to focus on welfare of people. The rich is getting richer and the poor is getting poorer with no concern about the future with a motive -"let's live life one more day as it comes" - Isn't it a shame for a nation.

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khanm

Jun 11, 2015 04:46pm

i don't know why we are making this budget so complicated... it is so simple and elementary.....If you want creativity, take a zero off your budget. If you want sustainability, take off two zeros. By zero i mean the politicians and bureaucrats....

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Jainy

Jun 11, 2015 04:50pm

Dear Mr. PM, We don't need Motorways for the time being but Cheap & Uninterrupted Electricity. You need to focus on electricity and need to get trainings on planning and prioritizing issues.

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ishrat salim

Jun 11, 2015 05:41pm

Rs 160 billion for NHA & 20 billion for HEC in the new budget, sure that is priority. People have no access to basic education where our literary rate is 58%, no proper health facility in govt hospitals - they are in absolute run down condition, no safe drinking water, law & order in shambles, basic food are unaffordable, so, we still need to focus on metros etc; the govt is following jo dikta hai wo bikta hai policy.

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Shakil

Jun 11, 2015 05:52pm

Keep spending on Motorways and you will have slumps next to 6 lane motorways that will do nothing to improve people's health, education and housing! Educate masses, give them clean water and hospitals. they will rise up and support economy with skills and motorways will come along too.

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Muhammad Chaudhry

Jun 11, 2015 05:52pm

@Imran We need road infrastructure (no matter it is called motor way), electricity, security on priority. We do not need dharnas and politics of blames and lying only. Yes, we need education, jobs, health but if the above things will be improved, private sector is willing to play role in this sector as in India

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Truth

Jun 11, 2015 05:57pm

Where is industrial growth achieved during last two years of PMLN Govt? Any major new industrial establishment started - none. So no employment generation as well.

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Jun 11, 2015 06:03pm

Nawaz Sharif + Shahbaz Sharif= Motorways+metrobuses+ yellow cabs+sasti roti+free laptops. Are these nation building activities / priorities in present day Pakistan? No. We need relief for the poor, industrial development and employment generation (which only industrial development can provide).

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Jun 11, 2015 06:04pm

@nafees Very well said.

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Aslam Khan

Jun 11, 2015 06:29pm

No doubt constructing motorways are good but there must be a balance between the social uplift of the people and mega projects. National water shortage is 30 percent of demand with 35percent of the population lacks access to safe drinking, darkness is as common as in stone age, 12.4 percent of the population are below the poverty line and living below US$1.25, more than 22 percent of the population below the minimum dietary consumption level, less than 20 percent literacy rate in FATA, million of people suffering from hepatitis etc, such projects are simply a joke with the nation. Security is so poor that no one feels safe. The priorities of the government is not to focus on human development and social uplift but to prepare mega projects for money making.

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Sal

Jun 11, 2015 06:41pm

Infrastructure is important for developing the country but Mr. prime minister, education, increasing GDP, agriculture, peace, stability, civil services clean water, energy, cost of living, standard of living are far more important than spending time and resources in this motor high way. People can not walk around carting their mobile phone in any major city and you are working on the motor way. Are we serious?

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