ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday asked the Balochistan government to ensure good governance in the province.
Chairing a meeting at the PM House on the matters relating to Balochistan, the prime minister said the government was providing increased funds for the development of the province with particular focus on infrastructure development.
He stated Balochistan was an important part of the country, so provincial and federal governments should work in coordination for optimum utilisation of the mineral resources of the province.
The prime minister said development of Gwadar Port and construction of Pakistan-China Economic Corridor would bring prosperity to the people of Balochistan.
The PML-N party matters relating to the province also came under discussion during the meeting which was attended by Leader of House in Senate Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq, SAFRON Minister Lt-Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Senator Sardar Yaqoob Nasir, MNA Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Balochistan Minister for Mines and Minerals Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and Political Secretary to PM Dr Asif Kirmani.
Pipeline blown up, gas supply suspended
Online adds: Militants blew up an 18-inch gas pipeline in Dera Murad Jamali on Friday morning.
Dera Murad Jamali Police said that militants had planted explosives close to the pipeline. As a result of the blast, one-foot portion of the pipeline was destroyed.
The blast caused suspension of gas supply from Sui to the Uch power plant.
Frontier Corps and Police personnel immediately arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area and begun investigations.
Jaffar Express escapes blast
A passenger train sustained minor damages in a bomb blast in Quetta on Friday morning.
Levies officials said that militants had planted a bomb close to the railway track 13 miles from Quetta. "When the passenger train approached the spot, there was a huge blast," an unnamed official said.
The blast slightly damaged the fuel tank of the Rawalpindi-bound Jaffar Express. However, there was no loss of life reported in the incident.
Personnel from law enforcement agencies, emergency teams and technical staff rushed to the blast site and cordoned off the area.
Train services between Balochistan and other parts of the country were suspended while technical staff began repairing the damages.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. However, Levies sources suspect the blast was carried out by insurgents.
Militants have been targeting vital national installations and security forces for more than a decade in the province.