PM inaugurates Greater Iqbal Park in Lahore, says it's no place for sit-ins

LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Saturday inaugurated the Greater Iqbal Park in Lahore saying the ‘dharna wallas (protesters)’ also looked out for such places and he had better write here that this was no place for such activities.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the prime minister said the Greater Iqbal Park is a place where past of the country embraces its future, adding that there is no such place in whole of the subcontinent.

Sprawling on 120 acres, the Greater Iqbal Park offers a library, an open-air gymnasium and dancing fountains among other things to its visitors.

He said the circumstances in the country were unlike what they were three years ago. "Terrorism is fading away and soon cheaper electricity will be available in the country," he added.

"However, the past governments should be questioned for demonstrating criminal negligence in meeting energy needs of the country and not initiating any projects for power generation," PM Sharif said.

All development projects, especially the power projects, in the country are being completed speedily, with complete transparency ensured, he said.

"We inaugurated 449-km-long road in Gwadar and shortened the journey from Quetta to Gwadar to a mere eight-hour drive that earlier took two days," said the premier.

"The people of Balochistan understand that a revolution is taking place in their province," Sharif said questioning as to how will a person reach backward and far-flung areas if there are no roads and no ways providing access to it.

"Similarly a network of roads is being constructed that will interlink all the provinces in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which will bring prosperity in the country,"

The ceremony was also addressed by Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif, who said the park highlights Pakistani culture and the government agencies behind its completion deserve applause.

He said it will attract large number of foreign tourists and offer them pleasant sights, Pakistani delicacies and much more.