Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday asked the ministries to work hard to make a difference and meet the nation’s expectations, warning against any laxity in the implementation of the government’s downsizing agenda.
“I will not allow my time to waste and I am sure you will not allow your time to be wasted. The only thing that will make the difference is action and implementation. Roll up your sleeves as this is a matter of country, its resources and resolution of its issues,” the prime minister said in his remarks while chairing the meeting of the federal cabinet.
Apprising the members of his visits to Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, he referred to his interactions with world leaders, particularly Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he had formed a committee under Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal for follow-ups.
Similarly, he said he had chaired a meeting a couple of days ago to review the progress on the follow-up of “very productive” discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang during his China visit and would hold another meeting on July 20.
The prime minister said the government had launched the solarisation of 28,000 tube-wells in Balochistan to save bleeding of annual Rs80 billion. He also appreciated the Balochistan chief minister and other relevant ministries and departments for taking the project to the implementation stage.
He told the meeting that the finance ministry had been tasked to work out a business plan for the solarisation of a million tube-wells in the country which were currently running on imported fuel, putting a burden of $3.5 billion in the form of foreign exchange.
The prime minister highlighted that Pakistan had immense solar energy potential which must be exploited to save energy costs and provide low-cost electricity to the farmers.
“Time is running fast and we are racing against time. You have to accept the challenge and deliver. You will become the nation’s heroes … if you bring about a revolution of development in your ministries. For this, we will have to work day and night,” he remarked.
Coming to the downsizing agenda, the prime minister categorically said that he would not listen against the closure of Public Works Department (PWD) as the government had also found an alternative solution on the pattern of Punjab. He said the two-week time he had given for PWD’s closure, was already over.
“I will not tolerate if any ministry used delaying tactics. Please make no mistake about it. It is okay if there is any valid reason for any subsidiary but protecting any entity for the sake of perks and privileges is a thing of the past, not today. It will not happen and it must not happen,” he remarked.
