LOWARI: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday warned his opponents not to test his patience and said he was being victimised in the name of accountability; something which the people of Pakistan would not accept.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the 10km-long Lowari Tunnel, he said those demanding his resignation needed a reality check as they had been rejected by the masses, not only in 2008 and 2013 elections and they would be rejected again in 2018 elections.
The prime minister said the people of Chitral and Dir would be at the forefront in defeating such elements.
Sharif said he had not been brought into power by the votes of those people who have been asking him to resign.
“Stop this circus now, and do not test my patience. Do not test it my brother,” he said in a strong message to his opponents, while addressing a large gathering of people hailing from Chitral and Dir.
Prime Minister Sharif who earlier unveiled a plaque to inaugurate the Lowari Tunnel, said today some people are talking about his accountability.
“They are seeking accountability of a person who is building power plants, roads and other infrastructure projects for changing the lives of the people,” he said.
The prime minister said: “It is exploitation, not accountability. No one in Pakistan will accept it. Have I got some commission by selling trees, Have I got kickbacks of billions in Lowari Tunnel project, in building new roads or power projects?
On the contrary, we saved Rs168 billion of the national exchequer while building three power projects. I cannot tolerate such ridiculous allegations against me.
He said anyone who is trying to level corruption allegations against him should mind his own deeds.
He said when his party came to power, the world was viewing the country as a failed state, the country was plunged in darkness, with depressing economic indicators, lawlessness and terrorism.
He recalled that the four-month long sit-in by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in front of the parliament was a setback for the democracy. Sharif said at that time refused to bow to elements of disruption and chaos. “I only bow to Allah Almighty and no one else.”
The prime minister said he was very pleased to be among his people on the joyous occasion of completion of the Lowari Tunnel.
He said the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) is building the "real new Pakistan" and after the Lowari Tunnel, they will also build a university for women in Chitral.
He mentioned several other projects being built by the federal government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) including the Hazara Motorway. He said it was his desire to upgrade the standards of roads in Chitral at the level of motorways in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
Nawaz Sharif said the Lowari Tunnel projects had been launched in 1974 and it should had been completed by 1980, but no one was interested in completing the project and serving the people living in this remote area.
The prime minister also announced provision of electricity for the people of Dir and said efforts were under way for providing natural gas to the area.
He said no matter, how much it would cost, the people of Dir would definitely get the natural gas.
