DERA GHAZI KHAN/MULTAN: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday emphasised the need for a national dialogue for developing consensus on all important national issues, including creation of a southern Punjab province, and said the issue of new province should not be used as an election slogan.

He was speaking at gatherings in Rajanpur and Multan after inaugurating a bridge on the Indus River and a section of the Sukkur-Multan Motorway.

Mr Abbasi said that developing consensus for a southern Punjab province was necessary and it should be done the way consensus was developed for the merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the issue of new province should not be used for political point-scoring.

The prime minister criticised those who changed their political affiliation over the issue of southern Punjab province, saying that people had seen their role in politics. He alleged that those who had changed their political affiliation were trying to deceive people in the name of the new province.

Lambastes politicians who quit PML-N over demand for southern Punjab province

He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif had launched a number of development projects in the country over the past five years. One could not mention a single mega development project launched during the 10-year rule of former military dictator retired Gen Pervez Musharraf or the five-year tenure of the Pakistan Peoples Party government under former president Asif Ali Zardari, he added.

He said the people of the country had given mandate to the PML-N in the 2013 general elections and the party’s government under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif worked hard for solving their problems.

He said in a democratic society people could play an important role by their votes. In the coming general elections in the country going to be held in July the people of the country would again have a chance to elect their representatives, he said, adding that they should make a right choice for the better future of the country.

The prime minister said despite hurdles created for it the PML-N government had fulfilled its promises.

In Rajanpur, the prime minister inaugurated the 12km-long Shaheed Benazir Bhutto bridge on the Indus River connecting Rajanpur district with Rahim Yar Khan district.

Mr Abbasi said the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto bridge project was initiated by the previous PPP government and the PML-N government had completed it. He said the bridge completed with a cost of Rs8 billion would reduce the travelling time between Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

In Multan, he inaugurated the Shujabad-Multan section of the Sukkar-Multan Motorway.

He said the project completed with a cost Rs294 billion would ease travelling from Multan to Karachi.

He said funds for the construction of a bridge on Chenab River to link Shujabad with Khangarh had been allocated and work on it would begin within a few months.

He said the Shujabad-Lodhran road would be extended and work on it would begin soon.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2018