We all know that Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan and has great geographical importance in the region. It also has strategic importance as it connects the Eastern Hemisphere of the globe to the Western one. This has been further augmented by the construction of the Gwadar Port, which is near completion now. This would not only facilitate trade within Asia but would also help reduce the cost of trade. Another important fact pertaining to the importance of this region for Pakistan is that it has the longest coastline of any country in the Arabian Sea. That could help provide seafood not just for local consumption within the country but also help Pakistan earn a lot of foreign exchange through seafood export. Priceless reserves of gold, gas and many precious and useful minerals and metals are also buried under the sand of this treasure trove. -MARIUM KAMRAN, Karachi, via e-mail, July 25.