Pak PM Nawaz Sharif compares Opposition to terrorists

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday compared his political opponents to terrorists and accused them of hindering progress of the country.

Addressing a public gathering in Sukkur in connection with groundbreaking ceremony of Multan-Sukkur motorway, the Premier said that the country would not have lagged behind if there was no sit-in politics. “Terrorists and agitators are pursuing the agenda to hinder progress and prosperity of Pakistan. There is no difference between them,” Mr Sharif said while inaugurating a 296-kilometre-long Sukkur-Multan motorway in Sukkur.

“People should think twice about which side they want to be on... What do terrorists do They wish to halt progress in Pakistan,” he said in harshly-worded remarks.

He announced that a 296 kilometre long motorway section between Hyderabad and Sukkur would be completed this year.

PM Sharif said that foreign agencies were vindicating the government’s claims of better economy and effective policies. “None of our opponents could bring forth corruption worth a penny done against us in 1999 and 1997 tenures,” he added.

The Prime Minister also vowed to end power outages across the country and provide cheaper in cost electricity to the people.

PM Sharif said the nation had rejected those who wished to drive the country back to the dark ages. He held Pakistan Tehrik-e-Isnaf (PTI) and other parties responsible for delay in completion of different projects by resorting to unnecessary protests. Foreign investment in the country was affected due to sit-ins, he added.

He took the opportunity to complain to Opposition leader in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah for demanding his resignation when he was making efforts for Sindh’s development and the government was constructing a bridge costing Rs 6.50 billion on River Sutlej there.

Earlier, the Prime Minister performed ground breaking of 393 kilometre long Sukkur-Multan motorway section during his visit. The Sukkur-Multan section is part of a major project, Peshawar-Karachi motorway. It is a part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and will be completed with help of the neighbouring country. The six-lane motorway will pass through Multan-Jalalpur Peerwala Ahmed Pur East, Ubaro and Pano Aqil and will terminate at Sukkur. The premier was accompanied by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman who took the podium before the Prime Minister to criticise the PTI and other opposition parties on the alleged corrupt practices.