CM Raisani decries Centre’s apathy

Chief Minister says federal government not paying heed to the festering problems in his province.


Shezad Baloch October 05, 2010

QUETTA: The Balochistan chief minister has said that the federal government is not paying heed to the festering problems in his province. Nawab Aslam Raisani made this comment during a debate on a resolution in the provincial assembly on Monday. The resolution about under-construction sections of the National Highway in Balochistan was tabled by Jafar Mandokhel of the PML-Q.

“Our voice is falling on deaf ears. As chief minister, I have personally visited offices of the Planning & Commission and the National Highways Authority (NHA) in Islamabad to inquire about the slow pace of work on the projects... but I did not get a positive response, ” Raisani said. The prime minister has repeatedly made announcements that ongoing infrastructure development projects will continue in Balochistan, but officials of the Planning Commission are saying they were not aware of any such announcement, he said.

“The provincial government is making all-out efforts to normalise the situation in Balochistan but on the contrary the centre is not ready to address our problems, ” he said. “In such a situation how can we restore the confidence of the disgruntled people?” he questioned.

Provincial ministers and other lawmakers also expressed solidarity with the chief minister and severely criticised the federal government for not paying attention to Balochistan’s issues.

Legislators Shah Nawaz Marri, Pir Abdul Qadir Gilani, Ayinullah Shams, Sayed Ehsaan Shah, Habib-ur- Rehman Muhammad Hassani, Maulana Abdul Bari and Asfandyar Kakar took part in the debate and suggested that the president and the prime minister should be approached for release of funds for the ongoing projects. “We are wasting our time here because our resolutions get no importance in Islamabad and are thrown into dustbins, ” one of the lawmakers said.

The lawmakers complained that different sections of highways, such as Khuzdar-Kalat, Quetta -Chaman, Dera Ismail Khan-Zhob, Turbat-Gwadar and Panjgur were being delayed unnecessarily.

Some legislators feared that the people of Balochistan would join the insurgency if the Centre’s attitude did not change.

The House unanimously passed the resolution, demanding that the federal government allocate funds to ensure early completion of under-construction sections of the National Highway in Balochistan.

The assembly also passed another resolution regarding rehabilitation of the floodaffected people in the province and asked the federal government to provide due share to the province from aid assistance provided by donor agencies.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5th, 2010.

COMMENTS (1)

Reham Marri | 13 years ago | Reply The Balochistan chief minister has said that the federal government is not paying heed to the festering problems in his province. We in the province say that Chief Minister is not paying heed to the festering problems of his province. Kidnapping, car snatching, target killing, land grabbing and a scores of collective crimes are committed on daily basis in Balochistan without any body paying heed to it. Thanks to the services of some sardars, that atleast when some one gets kidnapped, they secure the release after the ransom is paid.
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