LAHORE, March 23 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad
Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that every segment of the
society would have to extend support as collective efforts
were needed to overcome existing challenges.
Addressing a function on Pakistan Day, at Aiwan-e-Iqbal,
he said that in the light of Pakistan Resolution, the principles
of hard work, honesty and commitment would have to be adopted.
He said that he would spare no effort for the enrolment of
every child in school and elimination of poverty, unemployment
and ignorance as well as rooting out corruption, injustice, loot
and plunder from the system.
Shehbaz Sharif said that such an Islamic welfare state
needed to be established where equal opportunities were available
to all its citizens without any discrimination of caste, colour and
creed.
“March 23 is a very important day in Pakistan history as on
this day in 1940, Muslims from every corner of the sub-continent
gathered at Minto Park and within a short period of seven years
a separate country was achieved for the Muslims under the
charismatic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,” he
added.
He said that the people who gathered under the leadership
of Quaid were united and determined, and they took an active part
in the struggle for the achievement of a noble cause.
He said that Pakistan had become a nuclear power
under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and
its defense was invincible.
He said that China, Europe, America and Islamic countries
had achieved progress and prosperity only through honesty, hard
work and commitment.
The Chief Minister said on the historic day of March 23, it
was his promise to the nation that economic and social justice
would be ensured, poverty and unemployment besides system of loot
and plunder would be eliminated while expectation of the people
would be fulfilled.
Addressing the youth present in the function, he said that
a majority of Pakistan’s population comprised youth and they were
hope of the nation. He said that youth were a precious asset of
Pakistan and they would have to play an active role in national
progress and prosperity.
He said that the present provincial government had served the people
selflessly during last seven and a half years and this journey
of public services would continue in future as well.
Shehbaz Sharif said that he would quit politics if corruption
of even a single penny was proved against him in any of his
tenures,
Shehbaz Sharif said it was injustice that funds were wasted
on import of expensive marble in such a country the people of
which were deprived of even basic necessities like electricity,
potable water and healthcare.
The Chief Minister said that the present government had
promoted corruption free culture in the province and all projects
were being completed in a transparent manner.
He said that Pakistan was facing energy crisis but China had
extended support to it at this difficult time by giving an
investment package of 46 billion dollars out of which 36 billion
dollars would be spent on energy projects.
Senior journalist, columnist and intellectual Mujeeb ur
Rehman Shami while addressing the function said that
representatives and workers of Pakistan Movement gathered from
all corners of India on March 23, 1940 and pledged to form a
state comprising Muslim majority areas.
He said that holding of a function to acknowledge the
services of workers of Pakistan Movement was a good decision of
the Punjab government.
He said that no one could doubt Shehbaz Sharif’s honesty as
he was a straight forward person and such leadership was
essential for progress of the country.
He said that Punjab had made tremendous progress under the
leadership of Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the people coming
from other countries were amazed at the change in the province.
He said that projects of buses and trains were as important
as schools and hospitals.
At the end of the ceremony, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif awarded
gold medals to workers of Pakistan Movement.
Former president Justice (Retd) Rafique Tarar and Justice (Retd) Mehboob Ahmed gave a shield to the Chief Minister Punjab on behalf of
the workers of Pakistan Movement.
Former president Justice (Retd) Rafique Tarar, Justice
(Retd) Mehboob Ahmed, Provincial Ministers Rana Mashhood Ahmed,
Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, Members National and Provincial Assembly,
Consuls General of America, Iran and China, workers of Pakistan
Movement, foreign guests, ambassadors, intellectuals, columnists,
religious scholars, vice chancellors of universities, boy and
girl students and a large number of people from all walks of life
were present on the occasion.