QUETTA - Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said, “Until and unless we strictly abide by the laws, we would not make progress in any field.” He said, “We need to obey and respect the traffic rules and should bring a change in our attitudes."
He expressed these views while addressing to a seminar on ‘Road Safety,’ organised by National Highway Authority and Motorway Police at a local hotel, here on Thursday. People hailing from different walks of life, including lawyers, doctors, teachers and transporters attended the seminar.
The CM lauded Motorway Police for its better performance in other parts of the country, and hoped that it would also play its crucial role in Balochistan. He regretted that mostly motorists in Balochistan not only violate traffic rules but also get amused doing so. "We opt to change our habits and attitude if we really want to develop as we are living in a society," he remarked.
Citing importance of driving license, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said that in developed countries, including Europe and US who have had driving license he was highly respected but in Pakistan who even did not know how to drive hold licenses which was unfair.
He linked the progress of any society with complete obeying of laws, adding that incumbent government had brought much improvement in police and trying to further improve its performance. He assured Motorway Police to all possible support on the part of Balochistan if it was to enhance its service in highways.
"Our province covers 44 per cent landmass of total country having highways," he said, adding that the Centre always showed sympathy towards Balochistan but practically it denied its due share. He also asked the transporters to keep tight check on drivers on highways adding that government would extend every possible assistant to Motorway Police to function smoothly in the province.
Commissioner Quetta Division, Qambar Dashti said, “Though we had a lot of problems and lack of resources particularly in Quetta city to keep smooth flow of traffic but we should strictly follow the traffic rules.” He further said, “Driving license should be issued on merit after passing through all legal procedures." He said that training workshops should be organised to create awareness among the citizens about the traffic laws.
Capital City Police Quetta, Abdul Razzaq Cheema said that police as compared to motorway police had a lot of challenges despite that it was making all out efforts to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city. "Our roads are congested and we have insufficient parking lots in the city notwithstanding police officers have been trained to have polite attitude with people no matter how they behave with police," he added.
He said that police was taking tight action against vehicles plying with tinted glasses and traffic rules violators, and would soon introduce latest mode of issuing license and implanting traffic laws not only in Quetta but also other parts of the province.
Principal Girls Degree College Dr Shagufta Iqbal stressed upon the need of inducting curriculum related to traffic laws in the syllabus in educational institutes and the implementation of traffic rules should be ensured.
Motorway Police Inspector General Zulfiqar Cheema briefed the audience in detail about the Motorway Police and its performance in Balochistan and other parts of the country. He said that officers of Motorway Police were more polite to the people and obedient to their job therefore officers from police were intending to Motorway Police. He said that currently Motorway Police was covering 470-kms in Balochistan and would expend its control over 1574-kms, adding that Motorway Police would also recruit youth from Balochistan in coming days.
Other speakers also addressed on the occasion and threw light on traffic rules and Motorway police. On the occasion, the CM distributed certificates among police officers and also helmets among citizens.
Meanwhile, Dr Malik Baloch has completely rejected any rifts in the provincial coalition government.
Talking to media persons after a seminar here at a local hotel on Thursday, he said a conducive environment was being created to hold talks with Baloch separatists to resolve Balochistan issue.
"Balochistan is a guarantor of the prosperity of the country but when it comes to the right of the province, the Federation gets reluctant, which should be ended now but the trust between the people of the province and Islamabad can be restored," Baloch said.
Replying to a question about differences in collation government Dr Malik said, “I am a democratic person and talks are being held with PML-N provincial chief Sardar Sanaullah Khan Zehri and soon we will resolve all issues”.
"Difference of opinion is the essence of democracy,” he said. Dr Baloch dispelled the impression that there was any rift among the collation partners in Balochistan.
He said 50 percent funds had been released for development schemes in the province. He, however, noted that the federal government had been approached to ensure early release of the funds meant for uplift projects.
"Out of Rs 43 billion federal PSDP, we have received RS 18 billion, which is injustice with the province," Baloch said.
To another question, the chief minister said, soon an APC comprising all leading political parties would be convened to steer the province out of problems confronting it. Dr Malik said the incumbent provincial government had regularised the teachers appointed under the Aghaz e Huqooq Balochistan Package and announced about 700 more posts in the teaching cadre to provide maximum jobs to the youth.