Pakistan can’t make progress sans Balochistan uplift, says PM

ISLAMABAD  -  Caretaker Prime Minister An­waar-ul-Haq Kakar has said the welfare and prosperity of the people of Balochistan is amongst the top priorities of the government as Pakistan can’t achieve the required lev­el of progress without devel­opment of this province.

Chairing a meeting about matters related to Balochistan here yesterday, the PM said climate resilience and climate finance should be kept in view in all projects of irrigation in Balochistan.

He said matters pertaining to the construction of two-lane Khuzdar-Karachi highway should be expedited. He said this road will provide alternate route to different parts of the country and ensure easy con­nectivity. Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar also directed to immediately resolve financial problems of public sector universities of Balochistan.

Regarding the Kachhi Canal project, the Prime Minister in­structed to constitute an in­ter-provincial committee, com­prising caretaker minister for Planning and interim chief min­isters of Punjab and Balochistan. He advised to construct check-dams to utilize water com­ing from mountain nullahs. The Prime Minister instructed to in­stall the tracker system on trawl­ers to prevent poaching of fish in Pakistan’s territorial waters. Be­sides, he directed to introduce a coordinated system, in coopera­tion with the National Highways and Motorways Police and NAD­RA, for the registration and fit­ness of vehicles.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary Balochistan briefed the meeting that the provincial government is taking all possi­ble measures to ensure transpar­ent elections and to this end, all instructions of the Election Com­mission of Pakistan are being im­plemented. It was informed that digitization of tax revenue collec­tions is underway in Balochistan.

Regarding measures to give mining the status of industry, it was told that a special Res­cue 1122 centre has been estab­lished in Quetta for the facilita­tion of miners. 

The meeting was informed that a coordinated vehicle testing sys­tem is being introduced to ensure safe journey on motorways, high­ways and roads in Balochistan. It was said that the Balochistan Government, in cooperation with the Federal Government, is taking measures against illegal fishing in the territorial waters of Pakistan.

The meeting was briefed that the data of all employees of the Balochistan Government is being verified from NADRA to enhance administrative transparency.

Caretaker Provincial Chief Min­ister Ali Mardan Domki, Educa­tion Minister Dr Qadir Baloch, and Chief Secretary Shakeel Qa­dir represented the Balochistan Government, while Caretaker Planning Minister Sami Saeed, Caretaker Minister for Law and Water Resources Ahmed Irfan Aslam and other concerned high officials represented the Federal Government.

Meanwehile, the PM, chairing a meeting regarding matters relat­ed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa here, said that the federal government, despite limited resources, will provide all possible assistance to the KP government for the devel­opment, welfare, and prosperity of its merged districts.

He advised addressing the fi­nancial issues of the province and directed the formation of a sec­retarial committee for this pur­pose. The committee will submit recommendations regarding net hydel profit as well as the royalty of oil and gas.