Shehbaz Sharif and his team pay tribute to China for pumping massive investments in Pakistan

Dera Ismail Khan: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his team has paid tribute to China for pumping massive investments in Pakistan leading to mega development projects and job opportunities.

Addressing a ceremony in Dera Ismail Khan, PM Sharif reaffirmed his government’s commitment for rehabilitation and reconstruction in flood-affected areas of the country, including Dera Ismail Khan and Tank.

He mentioned that the government has distributed ninety billion rupees among the flood-hit people and provided them relief items.

The Prime Minister regretted the in the recent years the country’s economy faced challenges and work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects was halted.

He however, added that with the constant hard work and support of the people present government would succeed in steering the country out of crisis.

Terming the construction of Tank Zam, Draban Zam and other dams imperative for food security of the country, he directed the concerned authorities to expedite work on projects.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mahmood said the journey of development which was stopped after ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been resumed in the country.

He lauded China for the massive CPEC plan that had also resulted in several smaller development projects for the local people.

On the occasion, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a key ally of the PM, underlined that Dera Ismail Khan had strategic and geographic importance and it is the need of the hour that this region must be given its due importance. He said that this region has become hub of the trade activities.

He highlighted that China pumped in massive investment in the mega development projects of the country. He stressed that Gwadar port played a crucial role in the economic development of the country and it was one of the deepest ports in Asia, but its depth was drastically reduced and work had started again to deepen it.

Fazl also underlined the need for providing funds to the development of merged tribal districts as agreed under the merger plan of those areas.

He said that inhabitants of the merged tribal districts were still lacking facilities and infrastructures that were yet to be developed.

The cleric underscored that the people of those areas do not have houses and feared that the situation would further aggravate in view of growing terrorism incidents and it was not certain if any development project could be undertaken or not.