LAHORE, Oct 8: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said every step taken by the Punjab government is aimed at progress and welfare of the people due to which popularity of the PML-N has increased manifold.

Talking to party workers in London, Shahbaz said those who forgot to solve problems of the masses after getting votes from the people had no right to rule, adding that despite the passage of four-and-a-half years the people were still suffering due to loadshedding.

He said the federal government had failed to pay any attention to the energy crisis.

Shahbaz said the incompetent government had destroyed the national economy, devastated profit-earning national institutions while decisions of courts were being openly ridiculed.

He said Pakistan’s history had never seen such incompetent rulers who had defamed democracy in the name of reconciliation.

He said the nation was looking towards general elections in which it would completely reject looters and thieves who had deprived the poor even of basic necessities like food in order to fill their coffers.

The chief minister said he had held long-term talks with foreign experts during his visit to Turkey, Britain and Germany to acquire latest technology, especially in the solar energy sector to solve power crisis, along with inking many agreements in this regard.

He said Turkish and German companies were interested in investing in the energy sector in Punjab, and in the last week of October, an energy road show was being conducted for Punjab in Turkey in which all energy-related companies of Turkey would participate.

Shahbaz said it was agreed during the roundtable sessions in London to promote mutual cooperation between British universities and the Punjab Energy Research and Development Centre.

He said it augured well that participants in roundtable sessions expressed their willingness and interest in promoting energy sector and research in Punjab, besides ensuring necessary transfer of technology and consultancy in this regard.

He said Punjab had a lot of opportunities for generation of electricity through coal, hydel and thermal resources, as we had more than 500 million ton coal reserves, but despite that our industry, agriculture and economy was affecting badly due to severe energy crisis.