PM earmarks Rs2.5b for Balochistan

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Friday ordered release of Rs 2.5 billion for development of Balochistan. Out of this amount Rs 1.5 billion will be used for deferment of debt services while Rs 1 billion have been released for interim increase in subventions to meet the financial requirements of Balochistan.
These decisions were taken at a high level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister at the PM House. Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Muhammad Yousaf, Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance, Dr. Salman Shah, Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub Khan, Secretary Finance and Special Secretary Finance attended the meeting.
The Prime Minister has also constituted a team comprising officials of economic ministries, which will go to Quetta on Monday to review the overall financial situation of Balochistan. Headed by Minster of State for Finance, Omar Ayub Khan, the team will hold wide-ranging discussions with provincial authorities and submit its report to the Prime Minster.
The team headed by Omar Ayub Khan will review the development projects of Balochistan with a view to recommend steps for overall financial improvement of Balochistan, increasing the standard of living of the population of the province and development of its natural resources for creation of a new opportunities. The Chief Minister Balochistan thanked the Prime Minister and federal government for taking steps for the economic development in Balochistan. He also briefed the Prime Minister on the law and order in Balochistan. The Prime Minister will discuss the report prepared by the team of Minister of State for Finance with Chief Minister Balochistan in the next meeting for the final decisions. Meanwhile the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has reaffirmed commitment of the government to ensure all required facilities for special persons and help them become useful members of the society. “The major concern of our religion Islam is to create a disabled friendly environment that is a pre-requisite for people with handicaps to enjoy equal opportunities,” the Prime Minister said in his message to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons being observed on December 3.
The Prime Minister said that creation of disabled friendly environment is a key to the exercise of their civil, political, social and cultural rights. He said the government approved a National Plan for Persons with Disabilities in 2002, to ensure all required facilities for them and to make them useful members of society. “Provisions of the policy are meant to lead all stakeholders to adopt disability friendly policies for comprehensive rehabilitation of this segment of society,” he said.
Prime Minister Aziz called for focussing collective efforts on raising awareness and promoting greater understanding of the needs of persons with disabilities. “In this way we will be able to promote respect for the rights of special persons in particular and human rights in general,” he added.—Agencies