Islamabad, Jun 4 (IANS): Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was dismayed at the development lag in Gwadar and vowed to work on "war footings" for the port city.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Gwadar Eastbay Expressway, the premier said the Gwadar Airport has not been completed since its foundation back in 2017-18, Geo News reported.

He lamented that Chinese President Xi Jinping had provided the funds required for the airport, but due to some reasons, it has still not been completed.

The Prime Minister said that the electricity transmission lines could not be laid even after many years. "The previous government also did not start the dredging of Gwadar Port."

He added that Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has been directed to meet the ministers concerned and complete all the projects on time

Further, the premier lauded the Chinese government for setting up a desalination plant in Gwadar.

"There might be a reduction in the water reserves. If the plants were installed first at cheaper rates, then every household would have drinking water by now," he said.

Sharif also said that solar panels are being provided to 3,200 families living in the city. He said that getting electricity from Iran might be a good decision, Geo News reported.

Shedding light on the government's austerity drive, the prime minister said that he will take strict measures and the government officials and people belonging to the upper socioeconomic classes will have to agree with the measures.

"First of all, I, including the federal ministers and other leaders, will have to face the tough measures," he said, adding that the upper class will have to make sacrifices and adopt simplicity.