Terrorists almost wiped out, remnants to be eliminated soon: Nawaz

Says internal, external forces disrupting peace in Balochistan have been exposed; Baloch people getting usurped rights; no obstacle can stop govt from completing CPEC

GWADAR/KOHLU: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday terrorists had almost been killed and the country would soon be rid of their remnants.

Nawaz, who had a daylong whirlwind visit to Balochistan from north to south and had five stopovers in the course, was addressing huge gatheringsgatherings in Kohlu, Sibbi and adjacent areas on the last leg of his trip in the evening after inaugurating 174-kilometer Kohlu-Sibbi road. It was completed in record period of one year and has reduced the distance of Quetta one third to South Punjab. 

The prime minister was accompanied by Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong, federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, General (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Prime Minister’s National Security Advisor (NSA) General Nasser Khan Janjua, Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zahri, Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai and Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Amir Riaz. 

Work on construction of the road was halted in 2006 owing to law and order situation. However, it was revived after the government signed a contract with the National Logistics Cell in 2014 to accomplish the half-complete project. 

The road will also help transport the agriculture produce besides enriching business activities in the area. Nawaz said no obstacle whatsoever could stop the government from completing the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and developing Balochistan.

He said prosperity in Balochistan was the ultimate purpose though anti-state elements were green-eyed over the ongoing development process in the province.  “Prosperity of Balochistan is our destination. The course is coarse. Though many others had also claimed of Balochistan's development in the past, they never thought about paving way to reach this destination," he said while addressing a gathering after inaugurating a 174-kilometer road connecting Sibbi with Kohlu.

After its completion, the distance between Sibbi and Kohlu has been reduced from 600 to just 174 kilometers.  Nawaz said the goal of progress could not be achieved without infrastructure development and that is why roads construction is his government's top priority. 

The previous governments, he said, either did not think of developing roads or showed blithe concern for their completion. He viewed that before investing their capital, the investors first question as to how they would transport their products to local or international market and in the absence of road infrastructure, they could not be convinced. 

Nawaz said the government was determined to develop road infrastructure across the country, particularly the areas where there was no concept of roads.  “We have broken the back of terrorists. The internal and external forces disrupting peace in Balochistan have been exposed,” he said while paying tribute to the services and sacrifices of the armed forces to foil the nefarious designs of the enemy. 

“Time has come when the people of Balochistan are getting their usurped rights. Their decades-old deprivation is being addressed just as this road has been completed.” He said the project would not only facilitate people from far-flung areas, but also help businessmen to transport their products. 

As suggested by the NLC Director General Major General Mushtaq Ahmed Faisal, the prime minister directed the Balochistan chief minister to develop schools and dispensaries or hospitals in the area.  He announced the construction of a 20-kilometer road between Sibbi and Talli and 80-kilometer road linking Kohlu with Rakhni. 

Mentioning his visit to Gwadar earlier in the day, Nawaz said he was pleased over the development going on there and reiterated that Gwadar would be developed as the best city of the country.

Development in Gwadar, he added, would have a countrywide impact and Balochistan's backward and far-flung areas would be linked with the main highways. Nawaz said he was personally overseeing the development projects in Balochistan to ensure their timely completion so that the people could benefit from the mineral resources thus enhancing the country's exports. 

He said after completion of Gwadar Port and CPEC, investors from worldwide would turn up to Pakistan and the enemies would only get disappointment.  He also congratulated the NLC team for completing the project and lauded the sacrifices made by the security personnel and the people of Balochistan for national development. 

He said the hard days were over and now the future would be far better than the past. The journey of Balochistan's development has started, he added. “We will not rest until we reach the destination,” he said. 

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zahri thanked the premier for taking special interest in the development of the province and the NLC team for successfully completing the project.  Earlier, the prime minister inaugurated a string of development projects including a dam, Gwadar Free Zone, Business Complex and a university, all aimed at mainstreaming the country's remotest areas. 

The prime minister was briefed about various projects. He unveiled plaques of projects that included Gwadar Free Zone that would be exempt from taxes for 23 years and covers an area of 2,300 acres. 

The infrastructure would be completed in a year's time and is being constructed by China's Overseas Port Holding Company.  He also unveiled plaque for the Business Service Complex that would house offices of companies involved in export, import and trade. 

The other projects included inauguration of a school at Gwadar that has been gifted by the Communist Party of China.  It has been constructed at a cost of $400,000 in a low-income area in six months. 

He also inaugurated Shadikaur dam, 130 kms from Pasni and 70 kms from Gwadar with a storage capacity of 45,000 acre feet.  Work on the project began in June 2011 and the lake covers an area of 1,813 sq km that would meet the irrigation and drinking water needs of the people of the area. 

Nawaz also unveiled a plaque for the University of Gwadar that would provide quality higher education to the people of the remotest areas of the country and help them play their part in national development.