CM’s push: Bid to inject life into Balochistan economy

Govt to hold a donors’ conference to promote investment, cottage industry.

QUETTA:

Giving a post-budget briefing here on Friday, Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch laid out his government’s plan to revive Balochistan’s economic and cultural life.

Speaking to reporters at the Chief Minister Secretariat, the CM said his government was going to hold a donors’ conference in Balochistan for promoting investment and cottage industries.

“We have also planned to brief all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the situation of Balochistan to dispel the general impression that disorder prevailed in the province,” he added.

He vowed to get all the under-construction cadet colleges completed on a priority basis and to increase the grant of residential colleges as it was his government’s desire “to provide quality education to every child at his doorstep.”

The chief minister said: “Development of a nation is linked to its languages and therefore grants would be awarded to Balochi, Brahvi and Pashtu academies.”

The CM said the NTS system would be introduced to ensure merit on services.

Talking about higher education, Dr. Malik said his government had decided to increase the grant of the University of Balochistan (UoB) along with all other universities of the province and that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) will be contacted in this regard.

The chief minister said efforts would be made to ensure Balochistan people have right over their resources, adding that tribal influence would be used to end the tribal discords.

He also sought the support of the media and said his government would continue to protect the rights of the people of Balochistan. He welcomed media’s positive criticism and appealed to them “to keep reminding them their electoral manifesto so that they may know how far they have acted upon it.”

Dr Malik said the Balochistan government had increased the provincial employees’ salaries by up to 15% and hoped they would play an active role in the development of the province.

The CM announced that his government would create 4,493 new jobs for jobless people in the next fiscal year.

The CM also announced to establish three medical colleges in Khuzdar, Loralai and Kech. These projects, already announced a number of times in the provincial budgets, were shelved due to lack of funding as some powerful elements opposed establishing medical colleges outside Quetta.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2013.