LONDON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that Pakistan will overcome electricity and gas crises within a few years as all out efforts are under way to achieve that goal.
Addressing the Pakistani community here on Friday, the prime minister reiterated his resolve to rid the country of energy shortage, saying the government would add 21,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid within 8 to 10 years.
He thanked Prime Minister David Cameron for the British support for Pakistan and said the UK had offered cooperation to Pakistan in various fields, including energy and counterterrorism. The UK was willing to maintain friendly ties with Pakistan, he added.
Mr Sharif said Pakistan always supported good relations with all neighbouring countries.
Recounting the efforts to strengthen economy, he said that investor confidence had been restored because of the effective economic policies of the government.
He said government’s expenditures had been slashed by 30 per cent, tax recovery had been increased by 16pc and remittances had witnessed a 12pc increase. Petroleum prices have been reduced thrice. The country’s growth ratio would be doubled within next three years.
He assured Pakistani expatriates that public money would be spent for the welfare of people.
Mr Sharif said Diamer Bhasha and Dasu dams would contribute around 9,000MW of electricity, adding that the government would construct the Diamer Bhasha dam from its own resources if it did not receive any foreign assistance. Work on the Lahore-Karachi Motorway would be initiated soon, he added.
The prime minister said only democratic states could achieve progress.—APP