LAHORE: A delegation of cabinet members and advisors of Gilgit-Baltistan headed by the Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman called on Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, here today. Shehbaz Sharif announced as much as 25 buses for the promotion of tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan along with provision of financial aid worth Rs. one million to the heirs of Dilawar Abbas, a student of Gilgit-Baltistan who was murdered in Punjab. These buses will be handed over to the Gilgit-Baltistan government after fulfilling of necessary requirements, he added.
Talking on the occasion, the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan said that they are thankful to Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab government as well as the people for extending their support for the development of Gilgit-Baltistan. We have come here to show gratitude for the technical assistance and support rendered by the Punjab government in every sector, he added. Appreciating the hard work of Chief Minister Punjab, he said that Shehbaz Sharif has developed Punjab as a model province with regard to composite development and due to his wonderful performance; Pakistan Muslim League-N achieved success in Gilgit-Baltistan. The Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif exhibited a show of marvelous sacrifice by providing Punjab government’s resources for the development of Gilgit-Baltistan, he added. In fact, Punjab government had shown true benefaction by providing one billion rupees from its budget to us. He added that a 300-bed hospital is also being developed in collaboration with the Punjab government and Punjab’s support in the fields of health and education is praiseworthy. Meanwhile, Punjab government is also giving full support in teachers training programme, he said and added that Shehbaz Sharif is our ideal and we are fully benefiting from his developmental vision. Due to Shehbaz Sharif’s cooperation, a state-of-the-art MRI center has been established in Gilgit-Baltistan and the people are praying for Punjab Chief Minister as they have got this facility in their province. We have completed the safe city project with the technical assistance of Punjab government while students of Gilgit-Baltistan are also getting education in educational institutions of Punjab province. We can never forget the love and affection shown by the Punjab government by doubling the quota of Gilgit-Baltistan in engineering sector, he added. He pointed out that Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif took strict action over the murder of a student from Gilgit-Baltistan. In fact, we have learnt a lot from the development vision of Shehbaz Sharif and we are proud to be his pupil, he added. The PML-N government has done a tremendous development work in Gilgit-Baltistan during the last two and a half years and it has no resemblance in 70 years history of the country. Due to governmental efforts, peace has been restored fully and not a single incident of murder has occurred during this period. Due to restoration of peace, the number of tourists has been tremendously increased. We need technical assistance of the Punjab government for up-gradation of different sectors including infrastructural development, transport and computerization of land record. It is sanguine that urban unit of the Punjab government has provided necessary support in maintaining general cleanliness. Shehbaz Sharif is a visionary leader and we want to fully develop our region by learning from his experiences and leadership vision. He said that we are desirous of getting technical assistance of the Punjab government about the most modern project of metro bus service. The Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan also offered to provide a piece of land for the construction of Punjab House in Nulter.
On the occasion, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan are our brothers and we are ready to provide them our all-out support. Pakistan will be prosperous when all of its federating units will be developed because prosperity of any region cannot be termed as the development of the whole of Pakistan. He added that we have to make our beloved homeland a great country with our collective efforts. The services provided by the Punjab government to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan were our obligations and Punjab government will continue to provide every possible technical assistance for the development of different sectors of Gilgit-Baltistan. The computerization of land record of Gilgit-Baltistan would be a great service and Punjab government is ready to provide every possible support in this regard. He said that Gilgit-Baltistan government is moving ahead in the right direction under the leadership of Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman and his efforts for the development of the province are laudable. He said that Allah Almighty also supports when we move forward by following the principles of honesty, hard work and trust. Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan, his cabinet and other members of the team for rendering yeoman service, adding that people of Gilgit-Baltistan are our brothers and we will do our best for the development of the area. Shehbaz Sharif directed to send a team immediately to Gilgit-Baltistan for assisting the computerization of land record project along with constitution of a coordination committee comprising of officials of both the provinces. The Deputy Speaker and other members of the Cabinet of Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly also thanked the Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif for providing support in the development process of their province. The Deputy Speaker said that they have no words to express their thankfulness for the support provided to their province by the Punjab government. Other members of the delegation said that the credit of development and prosperity of Gilgit-Baltistan goes to PML-N Chief Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Deputy Speaker Jaffar Ullah Khan, Haji M. Akbar Taban Finance Minister, Ibrahim Sanai Education Minister, Muhammad Shafiq Food Minister, Ms. Sobia Muqaddam Minister for Women Development, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Minister for Works, Farman Ali Minister for Local Government and advisors were included in the delegation. Provincial Ministers Kh. Salman Rafiq, Kh. Imran Nazir, Advisor Dr. Umar Saif, Additional Chief Secretary and secretaries of the concerned departments were also present on the occasion.