Kachhi canal inaugurated: PM asks ‘misled Baloch’ to shun violence

Says CPEC will make Balochistan the richest province of the country

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday urged the disgruntled Baloch people to ignore propaganda by opponents and play their due role in the development of the country, especially of Balochistan.

Speaking at a public meeting in the Sui area of Dera Bugti district after inaugurating the Kachhi canal project, he said the future of Balochistan was in the hands of the Baloch youths and the day was not far off when it would be the richest province of the country.

“Emergence of a new PML-N leadership in a very little time [after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif] is the reflection of [the strength of] democracy and democratic norms in the country,” he said. “The PML-N does not believe in lips service but shows its performance, which makes it popular among the masses.”



Referring completion of first phase of Kachhi canal, Abbasi said it would change the fate of the people of Dera Bugti district. The project, he added, was a “dream” of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who initiated it in 1998. “Unfortunately, this mega project faced delays after the ouster of our government in 1999 and none of the previous government gave any attention to this project.”

Soon after coming into power in 2013, the Prime Minister said, Sharif launched the work on the project and “today it is formally inaugurated”. He added the completion of this mega project would bring “a green revolution in this part of Balochistan and resolve the water issue for the growers of the area and… will also create thousands of jobs”.

Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, the PM told the audience that that this mega project would open new vistas of development and prosperity in Balochistan and make it the richest province of Pakistan.



He assured the people that issues relating to water and gas supplies to Dear Bugti and Sui would be resolved soon. He announced that natural gas would be provided to all district headquarters of Balochistan at a cost of Rs 15 billion.

Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Lt-General (retd) Qadir Baloch, top provincial officials and tribal elders of Bugti tribes were present at the gathering. Earlier, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti presented the address of welcome.

Before that, Abbasi inaugurated the Kachhi canal. The project in the Sui area has been completed at a cast of Rs 80 billion to irrigate 72,000 acres of land in the Sui Tehsil. The PM unveiled the plaque to mark the historic occasion.

With the completion of the project, Balochistan will be able to draw its share of water from the Indus River System, thereby enabling the local residents to cultivate their lands and accrue economic benefits.