Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed on Monday that returning to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was a necessity, warning that failure to make tough decisions would result in a repeat scenario in three years.

Speaking at the signing ceremony of the Kisan Package in Quetta, the premier highlighted the dire consequences of not addressing the country's economic challenges head-on.

PM Shehbaz announced a significant initiative to convert 28,000 tube wells in Balochistan to solar energy, a project costing Rs55 billion, with the federal government covering 70% of the expenses and the provincial government the remaining 30%.

He lamented the fact that Balochistan has lagged in development, pointing out that if the Rs500 billion in subsidies had been spent on the province's prosperity, the situation could have been markedly different. The provision of solar panels to farmers is a step towards sustainable agricultural development.

National solar energy transition

Expanding on the energy strategy, PM Shehbaz Sharif disclosed plans to transfer 10 lakh tube wells across the country to solar energy. He stressed the importance of collaboration between federal and provincial governments to achieve this goal, especially given the nation's substantial debt.

The premier highlighted the federal government's allocation of funds for Danish schools in Balochistan.

Additionally, he announced a program to send 1,000 graduates from all four provinces to China for agricultural training, with Balochistan receiving a 10% higher quota than other provinces. This initiative aims to enhance agricultural expertise and development.

Shehbaz Sharif warned that Pakistan's generations are burdened by debt and reiterated the critical need for economic reforms to prevent another trip to the IMF, which he described as a "drowning place." He called for collective efforts to improve the country's situation and vowed to eradicate terrorism.

The PM expressed the government's readiness to develop Gwadar into a world-class port, asserting that it holds more potential benefits than the Rekodic mines.