Musharraf visits Multan: Asks to Support Moderate Forces
By Akram Malik - Pakistan Times Punjab Bureau Chief

MULTAN: President General Pervez Musharraf Saturday urged the people to support moderate and enlightened forces to ensure Pakistan’s continued march on the path of development.

Addressing a huge public meeting in the historic southern Punjab city, the President emphasized that the nation has to demonstrate through its actions that Pakistan is a peace-loving and progressive country, capable of moving forward in the comity of nations.

“Pakistan does not exist in a vacuum, we have to co-exist peacefully as an important part of the world.”

“If we want to increase trade, arrest poverty and make rapid development, we will have to move forward as an integral part of the world,” he said amid wide applause from a crowd of over 50,000 people, who had turned up for the meeting enthusiastically.

The President underscored the importance of curbing extremist tendencies in the society like fanning hatred and discord. By effectively tackling the menace of extremism, Pakistan will face no impediment in the way of its fast-paced development, he added.

Pakistan, he said, came into being as an ideological Islamic state, where minorities enjoy full rights. The country needs a progressive approach instead of retrogressive thinking to project the true face of Islam and the country as a truly dynamic Islamic Welfare State.

“The time demands enlightenment and moderation from the nation.” The country, he said, also needs to enhance its economic and defence pillars.

“This is the time to move ahead prudently, that way, we will be consolidating Pakistan.” He said Pakistan has come out of difficult times and now has emerged an important member of the world community.

“It is a different Pakistan, moving towards a bright future, it is no more an economically weak country, our economic sovereignty has been restored and we are focusing on the well-being of our people.”

The President said Pakistan is playing an important role in taking the Muslim Ummah forward.

President Musharraf said that concrete measures are being taken for the well-being of the people and vowed to make all-out efforts for socio-economic development at grassroots level.

“I attach highest priority to welfare and prosperity of the people, we will bring down poverty and encourage higher agricultural growth, as it is necessary to ensure sustainable development of Pakistan.”

In this context, he informed the rally about the poverty reduction strategy being implemented in both rural and urban areas. He referred to Farmers’ Package and said as a result of it the small farmers were receiving as much as 80 per cent of the Rupees 90 billion agro credit from banks. Previously, he pointed out, only large land owners used to benefit from major share of loans.

In a couple of years, the loan in the agriculture sector will increase to a figure of Rs 150 billion, and thus facilitate higher growth, he added.

As a result of this package, he said, the small farmers no longer face the humiliation of arrest due to delay in return of agri loans. He also referred to the Rs 66 billion that have been injected for brick-lining of water courses in the country, which will not only result in the saving of precious water resources, but also provide employment to thousands of people in the rural areas.

He noted that government’s initiatives including an increase in the support price and good weather by the Grace of Almighty Allah will result in bumper wheat and record cotton crops this year.

In the cities, he said, the government’s economic policies are yielding good results as investment in a number of expanding sectors like construction and housing has brought employment opportunities to thousands of skilled workers.

The President said that with the introduction of the local government system development is now taking place at grassroots level.

The President recalled his long association with the historic city, describing it a cradle of civilization, where Muslims saints and Sufis spread Islam’s universal message of tolerance, unity and brotherhood.

““We need to spread this message of moderation and tolerance,” he said.

The President observed that it is Allah Almighty who judges human beings on the basis of piety and their deeds. It is not the place for one human being to pass judgment on other fellow Muslims as being good or bad, he said.

On the occasion, the President announced the expansion of Multan airport including widening of runway and improvement in cargo facilities for increase in export of local products.

Amid loud cheers, the President also favoured the establishment of a university for women and announced the setting up of a TV station in the southern city.

In addition, he also announced Rs 230 million for the construction of Northern bypass in Multan and provision of electricity and gas to areas, which were not provided these facilities in the past.

He praised Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi’s emphasis on overall development of the province, including southern Punjab.

The Chief Minister, in his address, said a record amount of Rs 23 billion has been allocated for development of Southern Punjab.

He informed the people about the provincial government’s focus on materializing facilities in key education and health sectors and said the province has taken these initiatives in accordance with vision of the President.

The Chief Minister announced that a cardiology hospital will start functioning in May this year in the city.

Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, in his welcome address, paid tributes to President Musharraf for elevating Pakistan’s international stature. He put forward some suggestions for the uplift of southern Punjab.●