Centre fails to release ‘Balochistan’s funds’

Minister says province is left alone; flood victims in dire need of help

QUETTA:

Balochistan National Party (Awami) secretary general and provincial Minister for Agriculture Mir Asadullah Baloch has said the federal government has not paid Rs40 billion for the current financial year to the province and Rs11 billion were outstanding for the last financial year.

He said that the flood-affected people were in desperate need of support but the province was always left alone in such natural disasters.

Talking to APP, he said the official matters were badly paralyzed because of the prevailing financial crisis in the province.

“Balochistan wants to get a suitable share of assistance for the rehabilitation of flood affectees pledged by global partners in donors conference held in Geneva,” he added.

According to the constitution, Balochistan’s share in the national finance commission (NFC) award was protected, but the province received Rs11 billion less during the last financial year, while the payment for this quarter of the current financial year, which is close to Rs40 billion was not provided. “We demand our due share in the NFC award and not any relief package from the federation,” he added

Balochistan, he said, was facing a severe financial crisis at present and did not even have money to pay the salaries of the employees.

He claimed that the federal government had not given funds to the province for the rehabilitation of the flood victims. He called on the political leadership to make collective efforts for the signing of a new charter of democracy and economy for a stronger and prosperous Pakistan.

He wanted all the parties to think of saving the country while keeping their interests at bay.

He said the system could be run better only by holding transparent elections in the country. However, he added, economic stability was necessary for conducting elections as they would cost the national exchequer over Rs75 billion.

He said, “Balochistan’s resources, including CPEC, Reko Diq, Saindak, and minerals are discussed all over the world. Despite being a rich region, we are still suffering from poverty. The Centre is not fulfilling its responsibility towards the province in a good way.”

Baloch said the development process in Balochistan has come to a standstill as the PSDP runs the system of the province, which was currently frozen. The provincial government had also cut PSDP, non-deployment expenditure, and on-going schemes, he added.

He added, “We asked for 10,000 tractors, and 200 bulldozers from the federal government, but nothing has been provided. The provincial government has distributed seeds worth Rs4 billion to farmers from its own resources.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2023.