ZIARAT: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the government is pursuing a policy of inclusive development, particularly focusing on less developed areas to bring them at par with other parts of the country.
Addressing a ceremony at Quaid-e-Azam Residency in Ziarat on Tuesday, the prime minister said that Balochistan, interior Sindh, merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Southern Punjab were ignored in the past.
He said that the federal government gave a package of worth Rs700 billion for the development of Balochistan and is going to announce another package for roads and highways. He added that it is unfortunate that even the funds allocated for Balochistan in the past were misappropriated.
The prime minister vowed to address the gas issue of the people of Ziarat and adjoining areas. “I will discuss the feasibility report for the construction of the LPG plant with the experts after returning to Islamabad and will ensure to build it at the start of the next fiscal year,” the premier added.
He said that Ziarat has great potential for tourism, which needs to be developed to generate economic activities in the area.
He urged Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal to start a health card scheme on the pattern of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to provide health coverage to the people of his province.
PM Imran said that Pakistan has passed the testing times and good times are just around the corner. Turning his cannons towards the political opponents, the premier said that the opposition is making hue and cry from the first day since we came into the government and they want to see the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government fail.
“The recent growth rate shows that the country is on the right path,” he said and added that last year’s growth rate was alarming and was recorded at 0.5 percent.
PM Imran also commiserated with the families of FC soldiers, who laid down their lives in a terrorist attack.
In his previous visit to Balochistan back in April, the prime minister had inaugurated road projects in the province including Dera Murad Jamali bypass, Western Bypass Quetta, Ziarat Mor, and Kuch Harnai road. He had been given detailed briefings about the law and order, coronavirus situation and ongoing developmental process in Balochistan.
‘TERRORISTS WON’T BE ALLOWED TO SABOTAGE PEACE, DEVELOPMENT IN BALOCHISTAN’:
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Imran strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Balochistan in which four Frontier Corps soldiers were martyred and eight got injured.
“My prayers and condolences go to the martyrs’ families,” the premier said in a tweet. “We will continue our fight ag[ainst] these terrorists and will not allow them to sabotage peace and dev[elopment] in Balochistan,” he tweeted on Tuesday.
The two separate terrorist attacks took place in Quetta and Turbat late on Monday night.
Earlier, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on late Monday night, an FC post near Pir Ismalil Ziarat in Quetta was targeted by terrorists. “Exchange of fire continues. 4-5 terrorists killed while 7/8 are injured. During an exchange of fire 4 brave FC soldiers embraced shahadat [martyrdom] while 6 soldiers got injured,” the military’s media wing said.
In another incident, the ISPR said terrorists targeted an FC vehicle with an improvised explosive device in Turbat. Resultantly, two soldiers of the paramilitary force got injured.
“Such cowardly acts by inimical elements backed by anti-state forces and HIAs [hostile international agencies] cannot sabotage the hard-earned peace and prosperity in Balochistan,” it said in the official communique. Security forces are determined to neutralise their nefarious designs even at the cost of blood and lives, the ISPR added.
