BHAKKAR: In a sharp reaction to anti-parliament remarks by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmakers, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday challenged the opposition parties to move a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against him, dissolve assemblies in the provinces where they had their governments and face the masses’ decision in next general elections.

“They had threatened to dissolve the provincial assemblies to impede Senate elections. I have a clear message for those who cursed the parliament to dare dissolve the assemblies, if anyone can.

“The people will give their response in the July 2018 elections. This politics of falsehood, conspiracy and curse will be buried forever,” he declared at the launch of Prime Minister’s Health Insurance Card.

The prime minister said those who had staged a “circus on the Mall Road of Lahore” would come to know what politics was about when they approached the masses after dissolving the provincial assemblies. He added that people had not voted them to the assemblies to dissolve them but to resolve national and public issues.

Abbasi dares opposition parties to move no-trust motion in NA, dissolve provincial assemblies and face decision of the masses in general elections

“I challenge those cursing [parliament] to move a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly. Those who desire to dissolve the assemblies should go there before making any such attempt,” he said, while addressing a charged gathering holding party flags.

He said the opposition lawmakers despite striving to become member of the august house had set a new precedent by cursing parliament. He asked the people to decide whether they wanted to follow the message of love or that of curses. He said Nawaz Sharif always believed in politics of decency, public welfare and national development, not of cursing parliament.

Criticising the opposition’s failed power show in Lahore, the prime minister claimed that participants in the Mall Road protest were far less than the number of speakers. He assured the gathering that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government would complete its term.

Federal Minister for Health Saira Afzal Tarar, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique and parliamentarians from the area were also present at the ceremony.

Lashing out at the PML-N government for putting a picture of Mr Sharif on the public health card, PTI chairman tweeted: “Shame­ful! In no democracy in the world wld this be acceptable: A disqualified money launderer’s face on a govt health card! Apart from using taxpayer money to project criminals, Sharif mafia destroying moral values of our youth: As if nothing wrong with corruption/money laundering”.

Responding to Imran Khan’s criticism, Maryam Nawaz tweeted: “Earlier he used to dread Nawaz Sharif and now he is scared of his picture also. Only fearing, crying and whining in your fate.”

Bhakkar-D.I. Khan bridge

Later, Prime Minister Abbasi performed the groundbreaking of a bridge on the River Indus to connect Bhakkar and Dera Ismail (D.I.) Khan.

Costing Rs7 billion, the project will take around 18 months to complete establishing a new road link between the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to facilitate goods transport.

The federal government will fund the project and Rs400 million has been allocated for it during the fiscal 2017-18. Being a component of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the bridge will be linked with DI Khan-Islamabad motorway.

Currently, there are 15 crossing points over the River Indus with none including bridges, barrages and head works being wider than 20 feet which is insufficient to accommodate the traffic congestion and load. The bridge will link the Kallur Kot area of Bhakkar and D.I. Khan’s Dhaki area by reducing the distance from 80km to just 15km.

The four-lane bridge will be 1.28km-long and the total stretch of roads on both the carriageways would be around 14.2km. The design life of the bridge is 100 years with the traffic speed to be set at 100km an hour.

Faisalabad airport expansion

Meanwhile, PM Abbasi inaugurated the Faisalabad International Airport expansion project that was completed by the Civil Aviation Authority at a cost of Rs1.5 billion.

Under the project, the airport’s covered area has been expanded from 36,000 square feet to 73,000 square feet. The handling capacity of domestic passengers has been increased to 200 local and 400 international passengers, as 16 new facilitation counters were established for international and domestic travellers.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mr Abbasi said his party was the only political party that did not make hollow claims, rather proved its worth by delivering in public welfare and development sectors.

“This is the quality of this government. This is the vision of Nawaz Sharif that during the last five years, the government has executed development projects which had not been done during the past 65 years. Around 1,800-km-long motorways have either been completed or are in the final phase,” said the prime minister. He added that there was an unending list of development project.

Prime Minister Abbasi said as the government came into power, there was a very small airport in a mega industrial and Pakistan’s third largest city of Faisalabad but the CAA established the modern airport within stipulated time and using the minimum budget. The number of flights in the airport had increased to 118 a week, he added.“This is just the beginning. Aviation is the backbone of every modern economy,” he said.

He claimed that number of flights could increase to hundreds within weeks for which the CAA should start planning its further expansion.

The prime minister also assured governments support to the industrial community of Faisalabad that had showed its willingness to establish an airport just like Sialkot. He said besides being a commercially viable venture, it would also be a great facility for the people.

He assured the gathering that the link road towards the motorway, which had been promised by the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, would be completed soon.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Aviation Sardar Mehtab Ahmed, Minister for Health Saira Afzal Tarar, Minister of State for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal and State Minister for Textiles, Haji Akram Ansari were also present at the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2018

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