Nawaz to be PM again: Shahbaz

LAHORE Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of Shalimar Interchange, said here on Friday that he would not be daunted by the hue and cry over demolition of illegal plazas.
Assembly Members, Engineer-in-Chief Pakistan Army Lt Gen Shahid Niaz, Director General Frontier Works Organization Maj Gen Najeeb Ullah Khan, Commissioner Lahore, DG Lahore Development Authority, senior authorities of NESPAK and FWO besides a large number of people of the area were present on the occasion.
The chief minister said that action had been taken against the high-rise buildings constructed in violation of rules and bylaws as no attention was paid to the provision of public utilities in the construction of these plazas nor such basic needs as parking space and mosque were met. He said that owners of illegal plazas in their lust for money had constructed shops even on the space of mosques.
He said a great hue and cry was being raised on the demolition of illegal plazas, but it would have been much better if those who were involved in propaganda against the operation against illegal plazas had raised their voice for poor people, widows and orphans who are deprived of food, education and other basic necessities.
Shahbaz said he would have gone to such people and congratulated them for supporting the rights of the poor. He said that those who are standing with the owners of illegal plazas were doing so only because they were rich and had constructed such illegal plazas on the basis of their wealth. He said the staff of LDA and City District Government is equally involved in the construction of illegal high-rise buildings and will be awarded deterrent punishment.
He said the purpose of the propaganda of these people was to give the impression as if government and the departments concerned were in cash but he will not be taken in by such tactics.
He said why these elements were raising hullabaloo over the dismantling of such illegal edifices, which have narrowed down roads and spoiled the beauty of the City. He said that action was being taken against illegal plazas on the order of Supreme Court but the interests of widows, orphans and people of middle class will be safeguarded who have been duped into purchasing shops in these plazas and have been kept in the dark about their illegal status.
In an emotional tone, the chief minister said, I am Khadim-e-Punjab and will protect the rights of the people even at the cost of my own life.
He said present government under the leadership of Quaid Pakistan Muslim League (N) Mian Nawaz Sharif was determined to do away with the existing obsolete system and the people of Pakistan should be ready to play a historic role in this regard. The Chief Minister said that with the support of the masses Nawaz Sharif would become prime minister of Pakistan once again to serve the country and the nation. Counting the achievements of Nawaz Sharif government, he said, the country would not have begged from others, had the Gwadar port been completed in time.
He said that the mega project of Shalimar Interchange was a milestone in the history of the province and will leave a positive impact on the development of Punjab.
Later, the Chief Minister inaugurated Shalimar Interchange Project, which is the largest in the province. He also gave away cheques of five lakh rupees and two lakh rupees to the heirs of those who lost their lives or received injuries in the execution of this project. Earlier, officers of FWO while giving a detailed briefing about Shalimar Interchange and Moghalpura Flyover informed that 3-tier interchange is a unique project in the province and has been completed in a record period of time. They informed that the length of flyover is 1.6 kilometers and the underpass is 2.2 kilometer long.