Says Pakistan values its relations with Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said the current issue of load-shedding in the country was due to the policies of the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf which failed to address the problem of electricity generation in its tenure. “The PTI government neither purchased fuel in time nor repaired power plants. Hence the current load-shedding,” he said in a tweet.

Shehbaz Sharif recalled that previously, Pakistan Muslim League leader Mian Nawaz Sharif during his government had ended the worst load-shedding in five years. He mentioned that expensive power generation by the PTI government through inefficient plants was costing the people Rs.100 billion per month. PM Sharif said his government was making efforts to fix the problem of load-shedding.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are publicly bound by the everlasting relationship of Islamic brotherhood and Pakistan values its relations with Riyadh. A meeting was held headed by PM Shehbaz to prepare for the upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia. The meeting was attended by PML-N National Assembly member Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Overseas Pakistani Minister Sajid Hussain Turi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, Minister of State for External Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Tariq Fatemi and senior officials.

The Prime Minister directed the concerned authorities to formulate effective recommendations for the development of these relations, especially employment, energy, food security and long-term strategic partnership with Saudia Arabia. It is pertinent to mention here that PM Shehbaz will pay his first visit to Saudia Arabia after becoming premier.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday directed that all available resources should be utilized for the anti-polio campaign on urgent basis so that the disease could be eradicated from the country permanently. He was chairing a high level meeting here for eradication of polio in sensitive districts of the country. Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, provincial chief secretaries, deputy commissioners of affected districts and other high ranking officials attended the meeting.

He directed that special focus should be given to the districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including North and South Waziristan and Bannu during the anti-polio campaign. He said vaccination of those children who could not be given vaccine for some reason, should be ensured. People should be provided best possible medical services, he added. He said that those deputy commissioners who performed better in the campaign to stop polio should be acknowledged as national heroes.