Qadir links development to curbing terrorism

Warns PTI govt against any attempt to roll back 18th Amendment

QUETTA: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) provincial President General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch has said that terrorism is the most important as well as the most serious issue of Balochistan.

“Development is impossible in Balochistan without maintaining the law and order situation as investors will not come to the province until the security situation improves,” said the PML-N provincial chief while addressing the media at the Quetta Press Club on Tuesday.

Qadir Baloch was accompanied by PML-N provincial General Secretary Jamal Shah Kakar, Younas Baloch and other leaders. “There should be a check post established after every 10 kilometres on highways in Balochistan,” said Baloch, adding that they would not tolerate any attempt by the government to roll back the 18th Amendment. “People will take to the roads if the government does not resolve their issues,” he said.

Qadir said in a recent tragic incident, militants killed innocent people in Ormara after checking their identity cards. “These terrorism incidents are happening repeatedly in Balochistan for the past few years,” he added. “Fear of insecurity has spread among the people of Balochistan and outsiders after these incidents.”

He urged the government to take strict measures to maintain law and order in the province, saying the people of Balochistan and security forces had sacrificed enough. “I had sent some suggestions to Prime Minister Imran Khan and the military leadership for maintaining the law and order situation in Balochistan,” said Qadir Baloch, adding that the advice included setting up a check post after every 10 kilometres with at least 15 soldiers at each one.

He also suggested using digital technology for communication in order to decrease these terrorism incidents on highways. “There are five highways in Pakistan and if the government establishes 400 check posts on these highways and deploys 4,000 soldiers, the number of terrorism incidents can be reduced,” said Qadir Baloch, adding that almost Rs4 billion expenditures would be spend on this project and Rs1.5 billion yearly.

He announced launching a movement against the government if the suggestions were not implemented. On the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Qadir said, “Indeed CPEC is a project of development and a gamechanger for Pakistan. Many people are willing to invest their money in this project.”

In terms of natural resources, said Qadir, Balochistan “is the richest province of the country”.