Province capable of addressing its issues, says CM Balochistan

Kamal reiterates provision of healthcare, other facilities govt’s prime objective

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal said the province has enough resources to address its problems on its own.

“Balochistan has been blessed with many natural resources which are enough to overcome the problems faced by the province if we use them properly,” he said while addressing a public gathering in Zhob.

“Provision of education, healthcare, clean drinking water and other necessities of life to the people has remained our government’s prime objective,” he added.

During his day-long visit to Zhob, the chief minister distributed prizes among students of a residential college.

He also visited the recently constructed vegetable market and bus stand in the town.

At the Government Girls Degree College Zhob, Kamal told students that education is the key to addressing Balochistan’s issues.

He also visited various departments of the college and announced the establishment of sub-campus of Sardar Bahadur Khan Woman University in Zhob.

In Killi Wayala, the chief minister said the provincial government had approved a gas plant for Zhob district that would be set up soon.

“We have demanded that all our feeders be upgraded so that the problem of power outages can be addressed,” he added.

He announced construction of two new schools in Zhob and converting a model school into a high school.

A 2,500km-long highway is also being constructed in the district.

“The Balochistan government has also launched the Green Tractor Scheme which will benefit our farmers.

Many tube-wells are being converted to be run on solar power,” the chief minister said.

Kamal said the province’s resources were brazenly looted in the past.  “Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif did nothing for Balochistan except for inaugurating development schemes including those under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with his name on their plaques,” he maintained.

The chief minister was accompanied by provincial ministers Noor Muhammad Dummar, Abdul Rehman Kethran, Asad Baloch and Haji Tor Utmankhail, former minister Dur Muhammad Nasir, Adviser Muhammad Khan Lehri, Zhob Division Commissioner Taha Saleem, DPO Anwar Badini and provincial secretaries.

Earlier, Kamal laid stress on utilisation of provincial resources to eradicate poverty and backwardness from the province.

He was presiding over a meeting regarding social protection, development and poverty alleviation in Quetta.

The meeting discussed formation of an authority in the province with the assistance of the World Bank’s to focus on social protection and poverty.

“Balochistan is replete with natural resources which are enough to turn the province into the most developed and prosperous region of the country,” said Kamal as he emphasised utilisation of available resources with sincerity.

Kamal also underscored the need for a mechanism to run all departments with effective policy.

“Time has come to functionalise all individuals in the society so that they can play their part in Balochistan’s social development,” he added.

He lamented poor governance in the province during the past regimes and said unfortunately many resourceful departments were ‘deliberately neglected’ which enhanced Balochistan’s deprivation.

“The resource-rich province has enough capacity to boost not only its own economy but also that of the entire country,” he said, adding that skill development is essential for improving the human resource.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2019.