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ISLAMABAD: Keeping up his verbal onslaught against the opposition, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday vowed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would return to power in 2018, and “by then, my opponents will be too old to oppose our government”.
He was addressing a public meeting in the Narh valley near Kahuta.
The people of Pakistan had rejected Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan because of his lies, he alleged. “A liar cannot be your leader ... a person who peddles your dignity cannot be your leader.”
PM Sharif said the plan to lock down Islamabad had failed because it had been rejected by the people. “I do not want to use harsh words here, but I would say that the PTI had staged a mere drama that has proved to be useless.”
He vowed that his government would work for the betterment of the country with honesty and dedication.
The prime minister then announced several uplift schemes for Kahuta tehsil and the Narh area. “I have not come empty-handed.”
He announced the construction of a 100-km-long Kahuta-Rawalpindi Highway, electricity and gas projects, and an upgrade of 12 schools to higher secondary level, a university for women and a state-of-the-art hospital. He also announced a grant of Rs500 million to develop the tourism industry in Kahuta and surrounding areas. “I will bring this area on a par with Murree in terms of scenic beauty and tourism,” he said.
Mr Sharif invited his opponents to work for the development and progress of the country. “Support us in overcoming the power crisis, in constructing highways, lowering the inflation rate and unemployment, and rooting out the menace of terrorism.”
Brushing aside allegations of corruption against him and the government, Mr Sharif claimed that they were working sincerely and honestly for the development and progress of the country. “Nobody can raise a finger at us and claim that we have been corrupt in awarding contracts for mega projects in the three-and-a-half years of our government,” he said. He vowed that there would be no loadshedding or gas shortage the next time he would visit Narh.
Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2016
