ISLAMABAD – Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday promised to improve people’s standard of living.
He was addressing a public gathering in northwestern Pakistan, a stronghold of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Sharif was sworn in as 23rd prime minister of Pakistan on April 11, after the country’s joint opposition ousted Khan, his immediate predecessor, through a vote of no-confidence.
Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has been turning to the masses for support since Khan, who refused to recognise the new cabinet, announced last week the PTI’s plan of an anti-government march to Islamabad in late May.
“I will not rest till I address your basic issues,” Sharif said during a rally in Shangla district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
As soaring inflation has led to a spike in the prices of food across the country, Sharif said he would seek a reduction in the official prices of wheat.
He said his government would leave no stone unturned to provide all basic facilities of life to people of the province and appealed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, a PTI member, to ensure free medicines and medical treatment for the people.
“I will talk to him, (for the) free treatment of thousands of widows, orphans and poor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he added.
“Shehbaz Sharif will be at your service and we will ensure this free treatment is provided to you,” he said.
Sharif announced a development grant of Rs2 billion for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bisham tehsil to resolve civic and municipal issues related to water and road maintenance. he also announced a medical college for the area.
He said that among other measures, he would make efforts to ensure completion of the Puran grid station in three months and expedite work on the Bisham-Khwazakhela Expressway.
Earlier, Adviser to Prime Minister Amir Muqam told the state media that people of Shangla were looking forward to seeing their prime minister, who has earned a repute of a hardworking politician.
He said that PML-N would hold the second public gathering in Swabi on Wednesday where the prime minister would address people.
The PML-N leader said the previous government had failed to fulfill its commitments during the last four years and instead put burden of loans on people.
