No one will accept JIT and PTI-led accountability: PM

CHITRAL: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hit out at his political opponents on Thursday, saying no one will accept accountability led by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Addressing a public gathering after the inauguration of the Lowari Tunnel, the premier said, “I want to tell the JIT, PTI and other politicians that no one will accept accountability from you. This is not accountability but exploitation. I can guarantee no one in Pakistan will accept this.”

The premier also hit out at the JIT members, saying they act "as if they are 'Sadiq' and 'Amin' like angels."

"There is no taint of corruption on us. This drama should stop. Do not test my patience anymore," Sharif warned.

The circus of sit-ins was started as soon as we came to power, said the premier, referring to the 2014 dharna [sit-in] by the PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek outside Parliament. "They attacked the PTV building, PM House and Parliament. But we didn’t bow down in front of those fomenting unrest and chaos and will never do."

"They wake up every morning and beg for my resignation. They should be ashamed of themselves," he said. 

The prime minister said the people rejected you [PTI] in 2002, 2008 and 2013 with God’s grace and will do so again in [the] 2018 [elections].

"They even rejected you in the Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir polls as well as the local government polls and by-elections," said Sharif. 

Taking aim at the PTI, the prime minister said the ‘Naya Pakistan’ envisaged by the party was not visible anywhere.

“They said they would make a ‘Naya Pakistan’. Where is that ‘Naya Pakistan’? They couldn’t even come up with a ‘Naya Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’. We are the ones making the ‘Naya Pakistan’ as well as ‘Naya Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’”, Sharif claimed.

The prime minister vowed to bring Chitral at par with Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

“All these years Chitral was cut off from the rest of Pakistan. Now it will take only two hours to reach Chitral from Dir,” he said. 

Lowari Tunnel, a project connecting Dir with Chitral, is aimed at enhancing economic growth and employment opportunities in the region.

The premier reached Upper Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Thursday afternoon to inaugurate the tunnel. He was accompanied by KP Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, adviser Amir Muqam, PML-N leader Pir Sabir Shah and aviation adviser Mehtab Abbasi.   

Lowari Tunnel, which includes two tunnels (8.5 kilometres and 1.9 kilometres), access roads and 12 bridges (35km), is located on Nowshera-Mardan-Malakand-Chakdara-Chitral National Highway (N-45).

In a press release, the government stated that the tunnel is a gift to the local population. 

The project seeks to enhance economic growth through accelerated trade activity, generate employment opportunities for the locals, promote tourism and reduce travel time for passengers.

Prior to its construction, the area remained cut off from the rest of the country especially during the winter season. 

In 2005, the construction work on the project was re-started during the tenure of Pervez Musharraf. However, the project faced funding issues when Pakistan Peoples Party was into power from 2008 to 2013.

After being elected, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government had allocated about Rs23 billion for the mega project to complete the work.

On Wednesday, the premier had inaugurated the newly established Riazuddin Sheikh Business and Trade Centre in Sialkot.

Addressing the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, the PM lashed out at his opponents. People of Pakistan knew who was conspiring against the country's development, he said.

“Their target is only to remove Nawaz Sharif and then make their own way. They could not do it through the people's vote and are now looking for another way,” said the prime minister.

"What corruption are they talking about?" wondered the prime minister, saying not a single penny from public funds has ever been misappropriated in his tenure.

*Additional input from APP