Naimat Khan
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Saturday reposed his confidence that the people of Pakistan would decide the future government, juxtaposing the unprecedented performance of Pakistan Muslim League-N with its rival political parties and previous regimes.
He noted that democracy was sine qua non for the progress and prosperity of the country and its people. The dictators had always failed to deliver and their rule did not augur well for the country’s future, he said.
He was addressing the inauguration ceremony of Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited (PIBT), the country’s first coal, clinker and cement terminal at the Port Qasim. The terminal has been completed at a cost of $285 million and so far provided berths to 12 coal ships.
The prime minister credited the people of Pakistan for their decision in favor of democratic system and noted that the continuity of the system would also provide panacea to certain issues. Under the democratic system, people make their best choices and sent those people packing to homes who had failed to perform according to their expectations, he said, adding the challenges always emerged but those would be tackled and resolved.
The prime minister further said when the PML-N government came to power in 2013, the country was beset with numerous crises including the crippling power outages. The government not only initiated work on 10,000 mw power projects but completed them whereas certain projects would be nearing completion and now the power supply was in abundance, he added.
The prime minister referred to visible functioning of different projects, being marshaled by the private investors and parties. He said the gas scarcity also hit hard the fertilizers industry and CNG stations whereas the domestic consumers and other industrial units faced paucity of gas, but the government also took vital steps overcoming the issue.
The prime minister said a huge network of highways and motorways was being built under the PML-N government. PML-N was the only government in the history that solely invested in the country’s future. Under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) huge investment unparallel in country’s history was made which guaranteed prosperity, he added.
He said the PML-N government had announced a string of development projects which were not only completed ahead of the stipulated periods, but also undertook work on the projects, left unfinished by the previous regimes.
He cited the completion of Lowari tunnel in Chitral which was inaugurated by late Bhutto some 45 years back, but it was Nawaz Sharif who had completed the project at the cost of Rs28 billion. The prime minister noted that there was visible difference between a government relying only on hallow promises and the others like PML-N which had delivered.
Balochistan coast has huge potential but it required proper tapping, he said and called upon all stakeholders to jointly pursue such projects. Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, minister for Maritime Affairs Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, minister of state Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal and provincial authorities were present during the ceremony.
The prime minister also noted the environmental issues and hoped that the provincial government with support of the federal government would take up the challenge and resolve it. The governor had also taken some initiatives in this regard. The prime minister observed that Pakistan was in need of setting up such terminals since long and expressed the hope that the quality of the terminal would surpass many peers in the world.
PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the occasion appreciated Haleem Siddiqui and Shariq Siddiqui of Pakistan International Berth Terminal Limited, a public limited company sponsored by the Marine Group of Companies, for making the much needed investment in a sector crucial for national development.
“It is also all the more heartening to know that PIBTL is also environment friendly,” assuring that problem with regard to expansion in railway tracks for transportation of coal from berth to sites of power plants will be addressed without any delay. He announced that PML (N) will continue to facilitate all local and foreign investors.
Earlier, CEO, PIBTL, Sharique Siddiqui in his detailed presentation said the project completed against a cost of around US $ 285 million this year has already successfully berthed 12 coal ships at the terminal.
PIBTL, under 30-year built, operate and transfer (BOT) agreement with Port Qasim Authority, has built its own jetty and was equipped with two coal ship unloading cranes and one cement/clinker loading crane, he said.
The state-of-the-art infrastructure at terminal will not only reduced cargo handling time but also decrease wastage of coal and cement during handling and their amalgamation with external particles during storage. The dedicated terminal was dredged to 13.0 meters deep and was capable of handling ships of up to 65,000 tons, said Siddiqui.
He claimed the terminal could operate more speedily, efficiently and reliably than the coal operation was being done by stevedores at Karachi Port.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the PML-N government had promised to mitigate energy crisis in the country when it came to power.
“Today, our endeavors are not only leading the country towards energy self-sufficiency but also towards efficient energy self- sufficiency,” he observed with satisfaction during a briefing at Fauji Oil Terminal & Distribution Company Limited (FOTCO) about the progress on the second LNG terminal at Port Qasim Authority.
It was informed that the second LNG terminal will be operative in the third week of November this year. The Prime Minister appreciated the role of Port Qasim Authority for extending support in completion of the LNG terminals, PM office media wing said in a press release. Governor Sindh Mohammad Zubair, Minister of State Chaudhry Jafar Iqbal were also present during the meeting.
