LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif on Monday accused President Asif Ali Zardari of robbing the nation of billions of rupees, adding that, the nation would retrieve its wealth from the president, DawnNews reported.

Addressing an inauguration ceremony of the Pakpattan hydro electric power project at Kumhari Wala headworks, the chief minister said "the traders of Islamabad had set up a market to buy off loyalties...but no one agreed to sell his/her conscience".

Chief Minister Shahbaz added that the Pakistan People's Party-led government had taken the country to the brink of destruction.

Regarding the project, the chief minister said that it would produce 2.82 megawatts of electricity.

He said the project would cost some 1048 million rupees and would be completed by 2014.