Uplift schemes to change fate of Balochistan: PM

ISLAMABAD: A combination of mega and small development projects launched by the government is bringing overall gradual improvement in Balochistan and the completion of these projects will change fate of the province, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said.

The prime minister was talking to a delegation from Balochistan led by Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, who called on him in his chamber at the Parliament House on Friday.

Pakistan Muslim League (PML) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani were present during the meeting.

The prime minister said the government was working for equitable growth in the country and was particularly focusing on the less-developed areas of the country to bring them at par with more developed regions.

In Balochistan, the prime minister said, the government had undertaken unprecedented development works to make up for past neglect by successive governments. He said micro-development schemes had been started all over the province in order to transfer benefits of high economic growth to the people. People have benefited directly from Rs 100 million allocated to each district in Balochistan, he added.

Shaukat said the government was focusing on providing better facilities of gas, electricity, health, drinking water and education to the people of Balochistan. He said the government was focusing on providing employment opportunities to youth of Balochistan and their quota in federal jobs had been increased from 3.5 to 5 per cent.

The prime minister said the Gwadar deep seaport would serve as a trade corridor for the region and industrial zones to be set up around it. These will provide innumerable opportunities to the people of the province.

Members of the delegation discussed with the prime minister development issues of their areas, particularly Chagai, Noshki and Aghbarg. The prime minister assured them of the government’s help and said all requests for development work would be evaluated on merit.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmad and members of the delegation invited the prime minister to visit their constituencies. The prime minister accepted their invitations.

Meanwhile, MMA MNA Hafiz Hussain Ahmed ended his five-day protest after meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Our correspondent adds: President PML Ch Shujaat Hussain on Saturday succeeded in persuading MMA legislator Hafiz Hussain Ahmed to end his protest camp outside the Parliament House.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed had set up his camp just beside the entrance gate of the Parliament House since the announcement of the budget in the National Assembly in a bid to invite the attention of the government towards the problems of his constituency and to his protest against gagging of the press.
Sorce: The News