‘Quaid waged untiring struggle for creation of Pakistan’

Zehri urges youngsters to receive proper education for exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources

ZIARAT: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has paid glowing tributes to the Founder of the Nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, on his birth anniversary, saying that he and his trusted colleagues waged an untiring struggle for creation of Pakistan.

“Quaid had special love for Balochistan and its people as he and his sister late Fatima Jinnah, the Madar-i-Millat, chose to spend their last days in Balochistan which is an indication of his affection for this land,” Zehri said while addressing a function organised to celebrate Jinnah’s birthday on Monday.

The function was also attended by provincial ministers, members of the assembly, and civil and military officials. A large number of local people and elders were also in attendance.

The chief minister said, “His government will serve Baloch, Pakhtuns, Punjabis and other national groups with dedication and without any discrimination.”

“Pakistan and Balochistan are interdependent,” he said. “Balochistan is important for Pakistan and Pakistan for Balochistan as both are inseparable.”

“Balochistan has a 1,200-kilometre-long coastline with an abundance of minerals, including copper, gold and other precious metals,” Zehri added. He urged students and youngsters to receive proper education for exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources for its development.

To boost quality education, the chief minister said that his government was giving laptops to deserving students purely on merit.

He criticised foreign elements for trying to hand over guns to the youngsters and pitting them against the state and security forces. “Such a policy will not serve the interests of the people as it will promote negative thinking among the youth,” the chief minister said.

He expressed satisfaction over his performance as the chief minister for promoting education and giving a boost to economic development. “I want to handover a peaceful and stable Balochistan to the next government.”

Zehri declared that he had succeeded in defeating all forms of terrorism and restoring peace in all the regions of the province with the help of the army, Frontier Corps, police and other law enforcement agencies.

He said that there was a time when it was unthinkable to travel to central Balochistan due to bad law and order situation, but now people could safely travel during the night even.

He paid rich tributes to the security forces who sacrificed their lives so that complete order could be restored in all parts of Balochistan.

He also praised the policemen for stopping the two suicide bombers from entering the Bethel Memorial Church in Quetta, where hundreds of worshippers were gathered for mass.

He appreciated the fact that Sibi-Harnai section of train had been operational since March as terrorists had blown up bridges and suspended train service to Harnai from Sibi.

He said, “People were afraid of raising pro-Pakistan slogans in Ziarat and its adjoining area some two years back as the law and order situation was bad, but now, peace has been restored in Ziarat and other areas.”

He said there were 2,600 blasts, including suicide attacks, within a year as the terrorists were ruling the country. He said, “Six to seven explosions in Balochistan daily are a thing of the past now.”