Balochistan's issues to be resolved amicably: PM Shehbaz

QUETTA: Prime Minister (PM) Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that the challenges confronting Balochistan’s people would be addressed amicably, with resources allocated for the advancement of the province.

Speaking at a GranD Jirga in Balochistan, PM Shehbaz said that the four provinces are akin to siblings, sharing the nation’s resources equitably. The federal government is investing Rs 70 billion in the solarization initiative for Balochistan, he added, while Rs 150 billion will be redirected to construct highway N25 in the region.

These funds will be drawn from savings generated by the government due to reduced petroleum prices in the global market.

The prime minister said the government would allocate Rs 1000 billion for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) this year and 25 percent or Rs 250 billion from the fund would be for projects in Balochistan.

PM Shehbaz said federal funds were the right of people of Balochistan and every penny would be spent transparently on the progress and prosperity of the province.

As chief minister of Punjab, he said he allocated ten percent quota for the students of Balochistan in different schemes of Punjab including laptop schemes and scholarships in the foreign and provincial educational institutions.

In the past, Rs two billion were allocated for a heart hospital in Balochistan, he continued.

He recalled that Punjab had agreed to give part of its funds from the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to Balochistan in view of its development needs as the province had a larger area. In today’s value, the funds diverted to Balochistan amounted to Rs 160 billion, he explained.

The NFC award was signed in Lahore in 2010 after three days of discussions among the national leadership including President Asif Ali Zardari, then prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Nawaz Sharif, he added.

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PM Shehbaz said in the tenure of Nawaz Sharif lot of development projects were undertaken in Balochistan and President Zardari initiated Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan.

He said the elders of Balochistan decided to become part of Pakistan under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammd Ali Jinnah.

Talking about incidents of terrorism in Balochistan, he said terrorists were blood thirsty and were against the progress of Pakistan and were undertaking heinous acts at the behest of foreign elements.

He said terrorists in Balochistan were foreign agents who had resorted to barbarity but they would not be tolerated by the government and armed forces of Pakistan.

He assured that social and economic justice would be delivered to the people of Balochistan.

Referring to the latest incidents in Sorab, he said the country could not make progress without peace.

Talking about conflict with India, he said on the midnight of May 6 and 7 and May 10 India attacked Pakistan but with the grace of Allah, the armed forces of Pakistan bravely defeated the enemy, who will remember its failure forever.

He thanked people of Pakistan for showing unity and standing with the Pakistan army shoulder to shoulder during the conflict.

As prime minister he was witness to all the events of the short duration war, he said adding as a brave and sagacious leader Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir led Pakistan armed forces to a victory against India and made the nation proud and the success was akin to avenging the events of 1971.

He said now the enemy was scared and the friendly countries were more confident after success of Pakistan.

He recalled that Pakistan conducted six nuclear explosions in response to five detonations of India in 1998, adding Nawaz Sharif was leader of the nation on that momentous occasion, which fortified the defence of Pakistan.

Field Marshal Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir, Acting Governor Balochistan Governor Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti and high ranking military and civil officials attended the event.