Govt Playing Due Role In Balochistan Development, Says Shehbaz

LAHORE (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jan, 2017 ) : Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would usher in a new era of economic development in Pakistan and Balochistan especially would be its main recipient.

"Government is making all-out efforts for development and progress in Balochistan and work is underway on mega projects there," he added. He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of teachers and students from the Jamiat-ul-Hasnat Inter College, Quetta and other institutions of Balochistan.

He also distributed laptops to girl students and teachers and announced sending 10 students from Gwadar to China to learn Chinese language. The Chief Minister said CPEC was the great project for the whole country, but Balochistan would be benefited more from this project than any other province.

He said under the CPEC China was making investment of 52 billion Dollars and with this huge funding projects had been undertaken in all parts of Pakistan including Balochistan. He said, apart from projects in power, transport and transmission sectors, a 300MW power project would be set up in Gwadar and an industrial estate and it would be connected with Kashgar.

He said the CPEC would transform lives of residents of Balochistan because China would carry out imports and exports from this seaport. He said there was no political, social, economical or geological condition attached with the CPEC because this mega project was evidence of sincere and unconditional love of the people and leadership of China.

He said the foundation of CPEC had been laid and this project would continue growing till centuries and it would change the fate of Balochistan. He said Balochistan was the land of huge natural resources of Saindak and Reko Diq, and unfortunately, Reko Diq was victim of legal complications.

He said, "I believe that our survival depends on the existence of Pakistan and we will make joint effort for development and progress in the country." He said the Federal government was responsible for fulfilling educational, transport and other facilities in Balochistan and the PML-N government under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was discharging all these responsibilities.

About increasing quota of students from Balochistan in educational institutions of Punjab, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Punjab government was available for this service, but increasing quota was no solution because the provincial government of Balochistan should take initiatives to provide best educational facilities in remote areas.

He said Punjab had sacrificed its share in the NFC award in 2010 to meet needs of Balochistan and gave Rs 11 billion annually from its share and until now Punjab had provided Rs 66 billion under this head.

He said he was happy that a meeting of the CPEC Joint Coordination Committee had decided to include metro mass transit projects in Quetta, Peshawar and Karachi. He said it was objected that Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project was part of CPEC however, it loan would be paid by Punjab government and not federation.

He said CPEC would change the destiny of the nation and the country. The Chief Minister said the Punjab government had also included girl and boy students of all the units of Pakistan in its educational programme.

He said quota of Baloch students had been increased twice in educational institutions of Punjab. He said Punjab Educational Endowment Fund also included students of all the units of Pakistan including Baluchistan.

Replying to the questions of the students, Shehbaz Sharif said corruption was the main hindrance in the development of Pakistan and also the main cause of depriving the children of education as well as people of treatment facilities.

He said solid steps had been taken for the eradication of corruption under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and their indicators regarding elimination of corruption had improved during the last three years.

"Transparency International of Germany has also appreciated the measures of the present government taken for elimination of corruption," he mentioned. To another question, the Chief Minister said Balochistan was rich in minerals but Balochistan government would have to enhance its capacity for benefitting from them and due to this, Balochistan would make rapid progress and prosperity.

In reply to yet another question, Shehbaz Sharif said undoubtedly sui gas was present in Balochistan and it should be used for the progress and prosperity of people of Balochistan. Answering a question with regard to unavailability of clean water in Gwadar, the Chief Minister said work was being carried out on CPEC projects and when Chinese experts would work on this project in Gwadar then a plant of potable water would also be set up in the area and clean drinking water would be provided to the people.

He said a delegation of 200 girl and boy students had been sent to China for learning Chinese language which also included students of other provinces. He said ten girls and boys would also be sent from Gwadar to China in this regard.

He said that self-employment scheme had been launched for empowering youth under which interest free loans of billions of rupees had been provided to the youth of the province. "Youth of Balochistan can also benefit from this scheme of Punjab government," he added.

Provincial Minister for Higher Education Syed Raza Ali Gillani, Members Provincial Assembly, teachers, educationists and senior officials of the government were also present on the occasion.