MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Friday said the nations around the world did show reverence to their leaders who served them but unfortunately in Pakistan, they were dragged in courts and had to face legal proceedings.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of 969 MW Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project here, the prime minister said the countries where there was no respect for the politicians as well as the politics, could not achieve progress.
The prime minister was accompanied by his cabinet members including Barjees Tahir, Engineer Khurram Dastgir, Syed Javed Shah, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Governor Punjab Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra President AJK Sardar Masood Ahmed Khan, AJK PM Raja Farooq Haider and Chairman WAPDA besides representatives of foreign firms, participating in the project.
The project would generate 5.150 billion units of electricity annually and generate Rs 55 billion revenue which will eventually increase in subsequent years. Completed at cost of around $5 billion, the power project comprises four units with generation capacity of 242.25 MW each.
The prime minister said in other countries where the leaders delivered, were given respect but unfortunately in Pakistan, instead of showing ovation, such leaders were dragged in the courts and had to face legal proceedings.
Referring to verdict for lifetime disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister said another verdict had been given earlier on the day that was unfortunate.
He said this practice needed to be abandoned as it must be the people who decide the fate of their leaders. The prime minister said consequent to the untiring efforts, the government had successfully overcome the power shortfall by executing power project to add around 10,400 MW of electricity.
He said currently, only those areas were facing forced load shedding where power theft had been reported. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said NJHP was an example of Pak-China cooperation and congratulated the teams of WAPDA and other firms who had struggled to make the project a reality.
Speaking high of the project, President AJK Sardar Masood said China Pakistan Economic Corridor would bring in economic revolution in Pakistan and by joining the initiative, AJK would prove to be an asset for Pakistan, and not liability.
Prime Minister AJK Raja Farooq Haider said AJK needed around 250 MW and people of AJK must be given benefit of development projects in the territory. He also drew prime minister Abbasi’s attention to the issues of water royalty, water distribution and jobs to local people.
WAPDA Chairman Lt. Gen. (Retd) Muzammil Hussain said Pakistan had successfully completed the project ahead of India’s Kishan Ganga project, despite the fact that the latter was two-year ahead of Pakistan’s project. Earlier, the prime minister gave away souvenirs to representatives of various firms who had been part of the project. News Desk