Spokesman Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Saturday agreed to work together to further augment and diversify their bilateral ties in all spheres, in particular trade, investment and employment generation opportunities. The prime minister received a telephone call from Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of the KSA Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud warmly congratulated Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The prime minister thanked the Crown Prince for the felicitations and expressed his resolve to work closely with the Kingdom to enhance and further strengthen bilateral relations between their two countries. While recalling the fraternal and historic bonds between their two countries that had been the hallmark of their strategic relationship over the past seven decades, the prime minister reaffirmed his government’s and his own commitment to further advance these relations to new heights.
Shehbaz Sharif said that country had the capacity of 35,000 MW of power generation, but due to the closure of different power-producing plants, run on gas and oil, different parts of the country had been facing load shedding for the last few days. Speaking in the National Assembly, the prime minister said that about 6,000 MW hydel power could be generated which was linked to the melting of glaciers and the availability of water but unfortunately, the CPEC coal-based plants and the new LNG plants that could produce about 5,000 MW power, including the one set up during 2019, with a capacity to generate 1250 MW, had been closed for the last four years. It could not produce the power during the previous government.
The PTI government did not give priority to such projects due to their incompetency, corruption and mismanagement, he added. The new plants could not generate power due to the unavailability of gas or expensive oil. The ministries concerned apprised him that they could not finalize the import of LNG as no one in the previous government was ready to supervise such projects. Moreover, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed for immediate completion of Rawal Chowk flyover without compromising over its quality of work. The prime minister accompanied by authorities concerned reached the construction site early in the morning where he was given a briefing.
He directed for the completion of this project by 1st of September this year. The prime minister observed that the project was almost stalled for many months and issued direction for an inquiry. He also directed for audit of the project by a third party. The prime minister, on the occasion, said that public interest projects should be completed within the stipulated period of time. The project like this should be completed within six months, he said, adding the delay in its construction was adding to public woes. The prime minister expressed his dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work, saying that lethargy and complacency were the apparent reasons behind the delayed project