Balochistan to unveil ‘balanced budget’

Zehri says Balochistan govt has taken the province out of difficult situations and put it on the path of development

QUETTA:

Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri has said that the Balochistan provincial budget would be people-friendly.

She added that the Balochistan government has taken the province out of difficult situations and put it on the path of development.

Despite all the difficulties, the provincial government led by Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has allocated a budget for each region on the basis of equality, she said.

In a statement issued here on Friday, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri said that the proposed budget would be people-friendly which would truly reflect the aspirations of the people of Balochistan.

She observed that the Balochistan government will complete its constitutional term.

Zehri said that the Balochistan budget would be very balanced and people-friendly, which is good for Balochistan.

It will open new avenues of development for the people and employment opportunities will be created, she said, adding that in the budget, development projects worth billions of rupees had been laid in every district of Balochistan, which would bring the province on a par with other provinces in development.

A new era of social development will begin in the province, the credit of which goes to the government of the chief minister.

Senator Zehri said that in these circumstances, a better budget could not be presented for Balochistan. She expressed the hope that the provincial government would take into consideration the difficulties of every class of society in the budget.

It is necessary to announce special packages for the lower class and create employment opportunities for the unemployed youth, she said.

Meanwhile, Chairman Senate Standing Committee for Petroleum and Resources Senator Abdul Qadir on Friday said that collective measures would be taken for economic development of the country. With the arrival of Russian crude oil and gas, Pakistan’s energy needs will be met, and pressure on the economy will also be reduced to some extent, he added.

In a statement issued here, he said that Pakistan had paid for cheap crude oil from Russia in Chinese currency, which was a significant change in the country’s policy of export payments dominated by the US dollar.

In principle, the way for China to trade crude oil in Chinese currency is open, he said adding that the benefit of cheap oil should reach the public.

After refining the Russian oil, petroleum products should be cheaper by Rs35 to 40, he added.

He said that the IMF has declared the levy of Rs50 on petroleum products as insufficient and there was a fear of increasing the charge by Rs10.

He said that Pakistan needed to free itself from the clutches of the IMF. So far, an agreement had been signed with Russia for the purchase of 100,000 tons of oil and this oil was to be brought to Pakistan in two ships.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2023.