ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Thursday said engineers were the key to development and progress of the country while speaking here at the Engineers Convention, organised by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).
He asked the PEC to ensure higher standards of quality, attention to detail and timely completion of projects.
The prime minister said the PML-N government had brought unprecedented progress in country’s infrastructure and mentioned the construction of new roads, power plants and other industrial units. He showed remorse over the fact that over the years no government had made any significant improvements.
He said the credit went to the PML-N that took up the construction of Super Highway, Lowari Tunnel, Nandipur project, Kacchi Canal of which 350 km that passes through Punjab and irrigates Balochistan, the Diamir Bhasha Dam, and Thar Coal.
He said LNG terminals were built and a 1,200 km long pipeline constructed to provide cheap electricity in the shortest period of time.
He said today 1,200 MWs of cheap electricity through three powerhouses was being generated with the help of imported LNG.
He said most of these were part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and urged PEC to play its much-needed role.
He asked the Engineering Council to be competitive and to ensure top quality to survive in a challenging world. Prime Minister Abbasi, who himself is an engineer said it was a mere coincidence that several ministers including that of defence, planning and education, and others who were at the helm of affairs were engineers.
He said together they were striving to take the country forward on the path of progress and prosperity.
He hoped that the PEC would be made more effective and professional and would serve the national interests in a befitting manner.
He was appreciative of holding the Engineers Convention and hoped that it would turn out to be a regular event that would serve as a national forum to discuss issues related to engineers.
The prime minister recalled his days as a student and said in only one year’s time whatever he had learned at university was almost obsolete as developments were moving at a very fast pace.
He shared how the technology transformed during the course of his studies and stressed the need for regular updates in the curriculum so as to keep the students abreast of the latest changes.
He said if engineers deliver, the country could progress at a very fast pace. He added that it transpired to him in only a few days after he became the petroleum minister that provision of natural gas was the only way forward to address Pakistan’s power shortage crisis.
He said many people were critical but being critical all the time is not helpful.
He said when the PML-N government came to power the industry was in pathetic condition, CNG was unavailable, and fertiliser was being imported, while the domestic consumers were also suffering.
He said gas was the primary energy source for the country and with imported LNG all those issues are today a thing of the past.
He said this government added the efficient energy of 10,400 MW of electricity and was on its way towards achieving excellence.
He assured that the demands put in by the engineers like paid internships, and other issues were of administrative nature and would be addressed.
He asked the PEC to strictly strive for standardisation and broadening of the curriculum, quality of education which needs to be improved and the appointment of good managers at the helm of affairs; as the heads of engineering organisations need good administrators.
The prime minister said Pakistan was among the few countries that had developed nuclear technology and had a rich contribution from its engineers.
He said Pakistani engineers could also excel in other areas and take the country forward. Earlier, PEC Chairman Engineer Jawed Salim Qureshi highlighted the achievements of the council.
