PM vows to resolve issues of Balochistan

QUETTA: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Sunday assured of resolution of all issues of the Balochistan province and said that Pakistan’s progress and development were linked with the development of province.

The prime minister was talking to a delegation of elders of the province who called on him to felicitate him on assuming the office. The delegation also extended good wishes, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release issued here.

Governor Balochistan Abdul Wali Kakar and Caretaker Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki were also present during the meeting. The prime minister said the government was taking steps, on a priority basis, to enhance foreign investment, industrial and agriculture development, and provision of employment opportunities in the province. He also assured of providing equal job opportunities to the youth of Balochistan.

The caretaker government would strive to increase the role of Balochistan province through provision of infrastructure, electricity, water and all other available resources, he added.

The caretaker prime minister on Sunday assured that issues of Kalat and other areas of Balochistan would be resolved. He was talking to a delegation of notables of Kalat area. He said Pishin and Mastung were his eyes and Quetta was his heart and he would serve the people of Balochistan wholeheartedly. He pledged construction of a highway from Karachi to Chaman, adding he had ordered construction of highways that were important for the province.

A road tunnel would be built for Dera Ghazi Khan to ensure supply of fruits and vegetables from Balochistan to Punjab, he said. Work on Kachhi Canal, a significant project for both Balochistan and Pakistan, would be speeded up.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kakar on Sunday said that the interim government, during its short period, would make all-out efforts to spur an industrial revolution in Balochistan. He said that under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), efforts would be made so that the Balochistan province could benefit from foreign investment.

The caretaker prime minister was addressing a delegation of the Quetta Chamber of Commerce that called on him. The delegation comprising prominent members of the business community of the province also apprised the prime minister of their issues, says the PM Office Media Wing’s press release.

The prime minister said that Balochistan was not only the largest province of the country in area but also a very suitable area for trade due to Gwadar port. He opined that the province should have been a hub of industries due to huge mineral resources and vast agricultural land. During the meeting, the caretaker prime minister also assured the delegation of resolution of their issues. Separately, a delegation led by Sahibzada Muhammad Khan also called on Caretaker PM Kakar. The delegation felicitated the prime minister on assuming his duties and expressed good wishes. The prime minister assured them of addressing the lingering issues faced by residents of the province.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kakar Sunday stressed upon formulation of planning to ensure that higher education at the university level should become a regular base for latest research and innovative achievements. He said that graduated students should be equipped with professional skill sets to meet the requirements of industries.

The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with a delegation of vice-chancellors of public sector universities of Balochistan that called on him, the PM Office Media Wing said.

The delegation apprised the prime minister of the progress over higher education and the pertaining issues. The prime minister underscored the need to promote a culture of research and creativity as lack of innovation was linked with deficiency in research and higher education. The caretaker prime minister further asked for setting up incubation centers for students by the industrial sector in universities, so that they could get opportunities for contemporary research, adding that with these measures, trained manpower would be provided to industries, thus paving the way for an industrial revolution. He shared that with the continuous facility of higher education, improvement could be brought in different sectors of life. The youth should be provided with ample opportunities to seek higher education, so that talented young lot could play their due role in the progress of the country, he said adding youth and manpower were the vital assets for a better future.