Pakistan’s PM vows to make the country a superpower on the 75th anniversary of independence

Aug. 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shebhaz Sharif, has expressed his intention to make the country a world economic power during his opening speech at the celebration, this Sunday, of the 75th anniversary of the independence of the country, a former British colony.

“If we can become a nuclear power, we can become an economic power, but for this we have to work day and night and show the world that we are not less than anyone,” the prime minister assured during his speech, delivered at the last minute on Saturday and picked up by GEO TV.

“We must keep the national interest above personal interest because the true political leadership does not look towards the next elections, but towards the future of the next generation”, he added in an appearance conditioned by the serious political crisis that the country has gone through during recent months with the resignation of his predecessor, Imran Jan, following a motion of no confidence.

“What happened with the Pakistan Justice Movement,” the prime minister said of Jan’s party, “must be a lesson to all, and we must not allow any obstacles or hatred to stand in our way.”

The prime minister’s call for economic stability comes at a time when the nation is facing huge liquidity problems and is desperately seeking financial assistance from friendly countries and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The country’s foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan were recorded at roughly 7.7 billion euros, down about 600 million from 8.3 billion on July 29, data released on Thursday showed.

For the rest, the day of the diamond jubilee has dawned with 31 gun salutes in Islamabad and 21 gun salutes in the provincial headquarters, in addition to special prayers in the country’s mosques at dawn for peace, solidarity and prosperity, with the corresponding flag-raising ceremony in the country’s capital.