PM announces 100MW power supply for GB, Rs1bn endowment fund

By Muhammad Anis

GILGIT: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the federal government was actively working for the progress and welfare of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

The prime minister, who paid a daylong visit to GB and inaugurated multiple infrastructural projects besides laying the foundation stone for others, asked the authorities concerned to ensure the timely completion of public welfare projects.

During the visit, GB Governor Syed Mehdi Shah and Chief Minister Gulbar Khan separately called on the prime minister, who also laid a wreath at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada (Martyrs Monument) at the Chief Minister Secretariat.

In his remarks, the prime minister said that the sacrifices of GB Scouts for the maintenance of peace in the region and security of people’s lives and properties were unforgettable.

As the prime minister arrived at the CM Secretariat, traditionally attired children presented him with bouquets and the chief minister presented a traditional Gilgit cap Pakul and a robe. He was also given the guard of honour at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

In the meeting, the GB governor paid tribute to the prime minister over the economic stability. Both the governor and chief minister thanked the prime minister for inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of different development projects.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday announced immediate power supply of 100 megawatts for Gilgit-Baltistan and a Rs1 billion endowment fund for the universities students.

The prime minister, who chaired the special meeting of the GB cabinet during his daylong visit here, expressed satisfaction and pleasure over the timely completion of Bubar Model Village, which he earlier inaugurated, to provide housing facility to the people affected by flood in 2022. He instructed the GB administration to establish educational institutions, playgrounds, power transmission and other facilities in the Ghizer district.

Besides announcing an immediate power supply of 100 megawatts to GB, the prime minister announced Rs1 billion merit-based endowment fund for the students of Baltistan University and Karakorum University. Prime Minister Shehbaz told the GB cabinet members that the federal government would establish Danish Schools in GB, on the pattern of Punjab province. He said that his government was actively working for the uplift and welfare of the GB people.

He recalled that while being the Punjab chief minister, his government had given a Rs1 billion gift to uplift GB’s education sector. He said the provincial governments’ cooperation with the federal government for economic stability was significant.

The prime minister told the participants that stock exchange has crossed the 92,000 mark and increase in remittances, tax return filers and reduction in inflation were pleasant developments for national economy. He lauded the role of all the provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and GB in the national development and highlighted his government’s special focus on the uplift of GB, merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.

The prime minister said the federal government was taking measures to promote tourism in GB as the Qatari government had also expressed interest to invest in tourism there.

Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Amir Muqam and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, members of the GB cabinet and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Shehbaz, who had also visited the flood-hit village in 2022 after it was completely destroyed, recalled teenage girl Qandeel and her father were among the only survivors of their family. He said that he had announced Rs5 million endowment fund for Qandeel that had increased to Rs6.7 million to support her expenditures and make her pursue her dreams. The prime minister appreciated GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan and other senior officers for supervising the project.

Earlier, the prime minister also unveiled the plaque for the 216-kilometer Gilgit-Shandur Road that would be completed by November 2025 and reduce the inter-city travel duration from eight hours to three hours.

In his address, GB Chief Minister Gulbar Khan thanked the prime minister for supporting the GB people in distress. He said the 2022 floods killed several residents in the Bubar village and the newly built model village was equipped with all basic amenities, including connectivity.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan is the government’s top-most priority. He was talking to Ambassador of China to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, during his visit to the Chinese Embassy here on Wednesday.

The prime minister strongly condemned the incident of firing on Chinese nationals in Karachi on Tuesday. He told the ambassador that he had come to express his indignation at the incident and enquire after the health of Chinese nationals, who were injured in the incident. He said it was a matter of satisfaction that the injured Chinese nationals are recuperating.

The prime minister assured the Chinese ambassador that those responsible for the attack will be brought to justice, and he was personally monitoring the investigation process. Shehbaz Sharif said instructions have already been issued to provide the best medical facilities to the injured Chinese national.

He said China is a time-tested friend of Pakistan and such cowardly attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan are a deliberate attempt to damage the fraternal ties between the two countries.

The Chinese ambassador thanked the prime minister for his visit and expressed the hope that he will play his role in bringing the culprits to justice. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi were accompanying the prime minister.