TOBA TEK SINGH: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif launched the Gojra-Shorkot portion of the M-4 Faisalabad-Multan Motorway on Monday.

The premier said construction for the Gojra-Shorkot section had been divided into two phases to ensure completion within the shortest possible time, Radio Pakistan reported.

He said engineers had initially estimated a cost of Rs21 billion for this section of the motorway. "You will be happy to know, because of transparent and highly competitive processes, this project will be completed in just Rs17bn."

He said the Faisalabad-Gojra section had already been completed, while work on the Shorkot-Khanewal section would begin soon. He said the Khanewal-Multan had already been completed.

Nawaz said that the groundbreaking ceremony of the Lahore-Multan motorway would be held soon.

'Infrastructural development will increase GDP, exports'

Referring to the Karachi-Lahore motorway, the PM said, "The motorway stretches from Peshawar to Islamabad, then Islamabad to Lahore and finally from Lahore to Karachi," he said.

"The people of Karachi and Lahore will be connected through motorways," he said.

"When roads are connected, hearts are connected and people grow closer. Distances are reduced, hatred is lessened and love grows," the premier said. "The residents of the south and north should not feel the differences between them, they should grow closer. When distances are eliminated, then we can progress."

He said the improved ease of geographical movement would improve tourism and give people access to better employment opportunities. "When this happens, Pakistan will progress. The Gross Domestic Product will increase, exports will increase and Pakistan will gain better control over its problems," he said.

'Good governance'

The premier highlighted the government's role in development projects in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the planning of power projects and the recently announced Rs341bn Kissan package providing relief to farmers.

He said that transparency in these projects had helped save billions of rupees.

"We have saved Rs110-115 billion on three projects... This is the first time in history this has happened," he said.

"I've only outlined some problems that we need money for. Our means are limited and problems many, but we do our best to utilise their resources to the best of our ability," he said.

What is this if not good governance, he questioned.