National consensus an opportunity to pursue development agenda: PM

[Edevelop]

MULTAN: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Monday said the national consensus, achieved against terrorism, was an opportunity to carve out a national development agenda for country's bright future.
He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of modern Multan International Airport completed with over 9 billion rupees and set to boost exports from this city, besides providing opportunity for international travel to the people of South Punjab.

Premier Sharif said both political and military leadership were on the same page in the commitment to eliminate terrorism and the national action plan was being implemented in a flawless manner to root out terrorism.

Nawaz Sharif said that this political consensus can be instrumental in devising a national development agenda. In this context, he called upon all the political parties to come up with a national action plan on development and lend support for country's development and prosperity.

Prime Minister said that the newly constructed well equipped terminal of Multan Internatonal airport would link Southern Punjab with rest of the world and have a positive impact on national economy. Nawaz Sharif also highlighted the need for continuity of development process, saying that it should remain unchanged even after change of succcessive governments.

He said that former Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had laid the foundation of Multan International Airport and the PML-N-led government has completed it with utmost seriousness because it is meant to facilitate people and geared to boost national economy and business.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif welcomed former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani who was specially invited for the event as he was the one who laid the foundation stone of the new Multan airport in 2012. Nawaz Sharif acknowledged that this was the way things should move, that when a government initiates a project in public interest the next one completes it.

The Prime Minister visited various sections of the airport.He was briefed about the modern facilities by his Special Assistant on Aviation Shujaat Azim.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif welcomed former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani who was specially invited for the event as he was the one who had laid the foundation stone of the new Multan airport. He said the credit for initiating the project goes to the former prime minister and said it was the way things should move, where one government initiates the project, while the next completes it.

He said Multan, being a major agricultural and industrial centre, would greatly benefit from direct air linkage with the rest of the world and have positive impact on the national economy.

Prime Minister Sharif said special Mango Flights from Multan would bring the sweetness of local mangoes to the people across the world. He said similarly textiles, handicrafts and other industries would directly benefit from the facility.

Prime Minister Sharif appreciated the quality of work of the airport and termed it one of the best in the country. He however directed to ensure its maintenance so that the people do not face any difficulty.

He said the people of Multan will soon begin to reap the benefits of the new modern linkage that would provide them a fast and modern travelling facility.

The Prime Minister noted that the proposal for the construction of four air bridges at Multan airport would fall short of the growing demand and said he foresaw the demand for another 40 air bridges in near future as more international flights would start their flight operations.

He said Multan was being connected to the rest of the country through a modern motorway network. He said Multan would be connected to Lahore at a cost of Rs 130 billion and with Sukkur at a cost of Rs 242 billion.

He said an amount of Rs 55 billion have been allocated for acquisition of land for Karachi-Lahore motorway and said he would soon be performing ground breaking at Hyderabad. He hoped that the project would complete by 2017 and people would prefer to travel by road rather using air travel.

The Prime Minister spoke of the rich historical, political and cultural significance of Multan and said the expansion of the airport would play a major role in linking the Southern Punjab with the rest of the world.

He said the people of South Punjab have been deprived of development in the past, however work was now underway to bring it at par with the developed areas of the country.

He said a development package of Rs 29 billion has been earmarkd for the city and adjoining areas. He said the federal government would provide funds for the construction of a 32 km long inter-city ring road to facilitate the people of Multan and adjoining areas.

He mentioned that a number of projects were underway including the Shahbaz Sharif hospital costing Rs 51 crore, a burn unit and upgradation of Intensive Care Unit in Nishtar Hospital, a Kidney Centre costing Rs 87 crore to cater to the needs of the health sector. A drug testing laboratory has been constructed at cost of Rs 10 billion.

He said classes have begun in agriculture, engineering and women universities and promised that these would have separate campuses soon.

The Prime Minister said it was his government's desire to complete projects for generation of 10,000 MW before the end of his government's tenure and said a number of short and long term projects were underway to meet the future needs of the country.

He said, for the country to progress, there was a need to plan ahead for atleast 25 years so that the country keeps pace with the modern world.

Referring to the National Action Plan against terrorism, he said the national civil and military leadership had vowed to stand together to face the challenges confronting the country.

He said similar consensus was needed by the political leadership to address all challenges being faced by the country.

National consensus an opportunity to pursue development agenda: PM