• Performs groundbreaking of dam
• Foresees a strong Pakistan in near future

MIANWALI: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that a society cannot survive for long where people rot in jails for minor theft but those who loot billions are considered untouchable.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of Chapri Dam at the Cadet College in Isakhel, some 55km off here, on Saturday, he said the nation could progress rapidly only by developing backward areas.

To be built at a cost of Rs3.2 billion in two years, the dam would supply water to the hilly area of Isakhel tehsil of Mianwali district.

Mr Khan said the time was not far when people would witness Pakistan emerging as one of the strongest states in the world, adds APP.

He said that the major objective of the state of Madina was to uplift the poor and protect them from any exploitation or victimisation by powerful people.

He said that the state of Madina was based on two major principles — rule of law and humanity — and the western countries like Denmark, Sweden and Norway had become prosperous by adhering to this model.

The prime minister said that ensuring water supply to remote areas of Punjab was the dire need of time.

He said many people asked him about the selection of Usman Buzdar for the office of Punjab chief minister. He said that since Mr Buzdar belonged to the backward district of Dera Ghazi Khan, he knows the problems being faced by the people of districts like Mianwali, Bhakkar, Rajanpur etc. and would certainly develop these backward districts.

Mr Khan said that former chief minister of Punjab (Shehbaz Sharif), who lived in Lahore and got medical treatment in London, neglected the backward areas of the province.

Recalling his entry into politics and love of the people of his constituency for him, who had elected him to the National Assembly, Mr Khan said that now it was time to fulfill his promise of meeting their old demands by providing water supply and sanitation facilities to this area.

He said it had been observed that doctors and teachers were always reluctant to serve in backward areas and to solve this dilemma, the government was considering the proposal of recruiting professionals for these sectors, particularly education and female health, from their own backward areas.

The PM said that education ensured prosperity and development of a country and research centres were vital for this purpose. He said that the Namal University would be developed into a knowledge city having the facility of teaching all subjects and initially an agriculture research centre would be established there soon, which would introduce advanced methods of farming in the area.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Abdul Rehman Khan, MPA from Isakhel tehsil, highlighted problems of the area by demanding gas, health and female education facilities beside transfer of the administration of the Cadet College from the provincial government to the federal defence ministry.

The prime minister also inaugurated the hostel of the Cadet College which has been functional for the last six months. He planted a sapling at the lawns of the college and also administered polio drops to a couple of children.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2020