'PARCO to install largest oil refinery in Hub'

Balochistan CM says another facility will be set up by Saudi Arabia

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Sunday said the Pak-Arab Oil Refinery Limited (PARCO) will install the biggest oil refinery in Hub, in addition to one by Saudi Arabia in Gwadar.

The announcement came during a visit to Karachi where the CM laid floral wreath at the Quaid’s mausoleum.

Talking to the media, the chief minister said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an economic game-changer for the country. It will bring job opportunities, prosperity and better life for Balochistan’s people, he added.

Investors from different countries have desired to join CPEC, said Kamal, adding that Rekodik and other development projects will be completed soon.



He said that a Saudi minister in his recent visit had expressed the desire to invest in the energy sector of his province. “The Pak-Arab Oil Refinery Limited will install the biggest oil refinery in Hub, in addition to one by Saudi Arabia in Gwadar,” said Kamal.
The chief minister said Balochistan has huge mineral and natural resources, which are the property of the people of the province.

About his government’s plans, Kamal said 16 to 18 trauma centres will be set up along the RCD Highway. Moreover, “We are upgrading all district headquarter hospitals. As many as 500 doctors will be appointed on a contract basis to provide health facilities in every part of the province.”

Moreover, the provincial government has formed a tourism development authority.

To a question, the CM said protesters had “called off the missing persons camp in Quetta for two months on the assurance of the provincial government”.

Kamal said the issue was being discussed with the prime minister and the federal government had assured him of resolving it soon.
He said the provincial government has been working for the betterment of the province and taking measures to resolve issues.

“The Senate chairman belongs to our [BAP] party. We are working in a good way with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government,” he said while replying to a question. He expressed the hope that all political parties will fully support Sadiq Sanjrani as Senate Chairman in the future too.

He also talked about terrorism in the Sindh-Balochistan border area. He said, “We have not held any meeting with the Sindh chief minister on the law and order situation but discussed it with Rangers officials.”

The CM said security would be increased in the border areas to purge out terrorists from there. “We will not compromise on our sovereignty,” said Kamal.

Meanwhile, talking to a private TV channel, the chief minister said proper utilisation of funds in last 15 years could have changed Balochistan’s plight but the politicians deliberately kept the province impoverished and backward during past 25 years.

Kamal said, “Many development projects were announced in last 25 years but they remained limited to paperwork. There were a number of projects which can be seen in documents but on ground there was nothing.”

He said that the previous governments should have focused on poverty that was a prime cause of the province’s backwardness. There were dozens of project which received funds under the Public Sector Development Programme without any construction work, he alleged.

The CM vowed to not spare the corrupt elements who had caused losses to the province.

To a query regarding rifts within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in Balochistan back in 2016, he said, the PML-N hasn’t disappeared from the province but was stuck in internal rifts, which allowed political machination and the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) emerged as the leading political party in Balochistan.



 

“Due to the obstinacy of central leadership of PML-N many of its members in Balochistan turned dissidents because it gave major powers to the PkMAP and the NP in provincial affairs.”

He refuted political threats to the provincial government. Neither there were rifts in the coalition government in Balochistan nor any political threats were being faced, he added.

“BNP-M has formed an alliance with PTI at the Centre, while in Balochistan they have formed an alliance with JUI and are playing a responsible role in opposition,” Kamal said and expressed optimism for the completion of his government’s tenure.
The CM said that unfortunately some politicians in the province did politics with disgruntled Baloch people living on mountains. However, he said that due to positive policies of the incumbent government peace has been restored in the province.

Kamal said fencing was under way on the Pakistan-Afghan border to prevent terrorists’ movement.