ISLAMABAD   -  Prime Minister Sheh­baz Sharif Friday said that his brother Nawaz Sharif would return from abroad to lead Pa­kistan on the road to progress and prosperi­ty as the prime minister for fourth time.

Speaking after his re-election as Presi­dent of Pakistan Mus­lim League-Nawaz for a four-year term at the party's Central Gen­eral Council, he said Nawaz Sharif is the ar­chitect of modern Pa­kistan and during his tenure as prime minis­ter, he eliminated ener­gy shortages, laid down the network of roads, built infrastructure and developed agriculture, industry and other vital sectors of the economy.

He said he would hand over the presi­dentship of the party to Nawaz Sharif after his return to Pakistan. He thanked the Gener­al Council for electing him as its new presi­dent and his associates for the leadership po­sitions in the party. He lauded Maryam Nawaz for courageously lead­ing the party all across Pakistan, despite all the difficulties that came in her way.

He said sixty percent of the population of the country was youth and Pakistan Mus­lim League (N) needed young leaders for the future. He appreciat­ed workers of the party for standing by PML-N despite going through hardships in jails and facing difficulties, add­ing similarly party lead­ership also stood their ground and faced op­pression and suffering with courage and de­termination.

He said Finance Min­ister Ishaq Dar was working hard to steer the country's econo­my out of the present difficulties. Those who were unduly criticising Ishaq Dar had no place in the party, he added.

The prime minister said the government fulfilled all conditions of International Mon­etary Fund to meet fi­nancial needs of the country.

He reminded that the PML-N spent its politi­cal capital for the sake of the State at a time when inflation was high and international com­modity prices skyrock­eted. Despite difficult economic conditions, common man was given relief in the budget and salaries were raised by 35 percent and pen­sions by 17 percent, he noted adding Pakistani nation was brave and would emerge from the present challenges. 

He said his govern­ment signed agreement with Azerbaijan to import gas and bought oil from Russia.

He criticised Imran Niazi for spreading fake information and false propaganda for his ulterior motives and to mislead people.

The PM said Nawaz Shar­if had a comprehensive poli­cy on Kashmir and he forceful­ly raised the issue of Kashmir at the international forums includ­ing the United Nations. Every Pakistani was ready to offer sac­rifices for the freedom of Kash­mir and no compromise would be made on the rights of Kash­miri people, he added.

‘SHEHBAZ SHARIF ELECTED PML-N PRESIDENT’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Shar­if on Friday was elected unop­posed President of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Maryam Nawaz elected Se­nior Vice President and Chief Organizer of the party. 

They were elected in the in­tra-party elections held during the General Council meeting of the PML-N here at the party’s secretariat. The meeting was chaired by PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif online and President She­hbaz Sharif.

The result of the intra-par­ty elections were conducted by Chairman of Election Commis­sion PML-N Sardar Muhammad Yousuf. Minster for Planning, Development and Special Ini­tiatives Ahsan Iqbal was elected as PML-N General Secretary and Special Assistant to the PM At­taullah Tarar his deputy, while Federal Minister for Informa­tion and Broadcasting Marri­yum Aurangzeb as Information Secretary. Finance Minister Ish­aq Dar was elected as President of Overseas and International Affairs.

In her address, Chief Organis­er of the party Maryam Nawaz said PML-N believes in serving the masses. She said develop­ment and PML-N have become synonymous in the country.

PML-N Secretary Informa­tion Marriyum Aurangzeb ta­bled the resolution paying rich tribute to the bravery and pa­triotism of PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif. It said Nawaz Sharif al­ways gave priority to country’s national interests. The resolu­tion commended Prime Minis­ter Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts to bring political and economic stability to the country. Marri­yum Aurangzeb said this meet­ing extends full support to the Kashmiri brethren for the res­olution of the Kashmir issue as per UN resolutions. She said the meeting strongly deplores the violent incidents of 9th May and demands that the culprits in­volved in these acts should be brought to the book

‘LAPTOPS FOR 

BALOCHISTAN’S YOUTH’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday terming tal­ented youth a “real asset” to Balochistan said the feder­al government would work on strengthening their profession­al capacity.

He said the youth in Baloch­istan would be given profes­sional training in diverse areas and laptops would be distribut­ed among them. He was talking to an eight-member delegation of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) from Balochistan led by Jafar Khan Mandokhel. The other delegates included Jamal Shah Kakar, Sardar Yaqoob Na­sir, Agha Shah Zeb Durrani, Amir Afzal Mandokhel, Chaudhry Naeem, Naseer Achakzai, and Zaheer Khan.

PM Sharif said the progress of Pakistan was linked with the development of Balochistan. The government, he said, was working on priority over the development projects in Ba­lochistan under the umbrel­la of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The meeting discussed the current political situation of the country. The delegation thanked the PM for allocating special funds for de­velopment projects in the bud­getary proposals of the fiscal year 2023-24.