Govt take measures to navigate nation through troubled waters: PM

Offers all possible support in Syrian quake relief efforts

Staff Report

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday addressed a stone-laying ceremony for the Bab-i-Pakistan project and the expansion of Walton Road in Lahore, and emphasized the importance of collective effort and sacrifice in overcoming current difficulties.

The prime minister acknowledged that all segments of society, including the elite, must come forward to support the nation.

While speaking at the historic site, the prime minister emphasized the sacrifices made by Muslims from the sub-continent for the creation of a separate homeland. He spoke about the worst kind of carnage faced by the migrants on their way to the newly created country, and praised the locals for supporting them.

Referring to Walton Road, Sharif highlighted its significance as a place where thousands of migrants from India sought refuge. He added that the unique precedent of Ansar-i-Medina would always be remembered. The prime minister also spoke about the aspirations of the migrants who migrated to the new country to establish a society based on merit, justice, and equality.

He shared that thousands of migrants sought refuge at the Walton Migrants Camp after the partition of India in 1947, where they were welcomed with open hearts and arms by the local community. He also highlighted that the nation’s founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah had visited the camp in 1948.

Sharif said this was his eighth visit to the site of the project in the past 25 years, and expressed regret at the lack of visible progress on the ground despite the allocation of over one billion rupees from the national budget. The prime minister also highlighted his refusal to allow the import of costly tiles for construction and opined it would be a shame for a poor country like Pakistan to use such materials.

The prime minister criticised the double standards of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for targeting innocent people and not summoning those involved in cases like these. He called for burying the rule of “might is right” and emphasized the importance of collective resistance in moving forward on the path of progress and prosperity. In conclusion, Sharif said that Bab-i-Pakistan should serve as a place for the younger generations and visitors to educate themselves on the history of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbazcalled Syrian Arab Republic Prime Minister Hussein Arnous to extend heartfelt sympathies to the brotherly Syrian people on the human and material loss in the wake of recent devastating earthquake.

The prime minister offered all possible support in the relief efforts. Offering condolences to the Syrian prime minister on his personal loss of family members in the horrific natural calamity, Prime Minister Sharif expressed concern with regard to the reports emanating from the region of severe aftershocks.

He shared that Pakistan had already dispatched the first batch of humanitarian assistance which was being followed up with more relief goods sent via air and land routes. He said that a medical team from Pakistan would also support the humanitarian efforts in Syria.

Prime Minister Arnous thanked the government and the people of Pakistan for demonstrating solidarity with the Syrian people at this difficult time.