President urges Balochis to stand up against miscreants

ZHOB—President general Pervez Musharraf has said anti Pakistan politics will not be allowed to find its way in the country. “Anti Pakistan politics would not be allowed to work its way in the country nor any one would be allowed to block development and prosperity of Balochistan”, he said this while addressing public gathering on the inauguration of Subakzai dam here Monday.
President inaugurated Subakzai dam which was built at the cost of Rs 1.58 billion, 40 kilometer from here. Heavy contingent of security personnel and law enforcement agencies personnel was deployed . Wapda official briefed the president about the dam ahead of inauguration. President was told the dam was constructed within two years at the cost of Rs 1.58 billion and it was part of vision 2025.
President underlined he was proud of hard working and valiant people of Balochistan. There are only a few people of medieval thinking whose intentions are not known to me as to why they causing harm to their own fellow beings by damaging electricity towers, gas pipe lines and railway tracks, he held. . The destructive politics being pursued by them is regrettable, he remarked.
He underscored his government was poised to translate the dream of developed and prosperous Balochistan into reality. But the intentions of those talking about separation and separate province are beyond comprehension, he maintained. Wherefrom the resources will come for formation of separate province, he questioned.
“We want to improve the quality of life of people for you are here if Pakistan is and Pakistan is here only because of you, he said. “I fully realize Balochistan was ignored in the past and it lagged behind the in the race of development. But the national exchequer was empty and economy was also not better. Today economy is vibrant and national kitty is full to the brim. People should only demand and we are ready to give every thing, he held.
He pointed out 9 cadet colleges were being built for improvement in the quality of education in Balochistan. Thousands of people from Balochistan have been recruited in police to end unemployment.
President General Pervez Musharraf on Monday urged the people of Balochistan to resist and stop those who were against the country’s progress and development. “You have to maintain peace to ensure your progress and that of yourcountry, but you will have to stop and resist all those who are against it,” President Musharraf told a large gathering while inaugurating the Rs. 1.58 billion Sabakzai Dam.
The President described the mega project as a gift for the people of Balochistan and a guarantee for a prosperous future and said those trying to disrupt development were not friends of Pakistan. “Blowing up electricity pylons, bridges and other infrastructure does not directly affect me or Pakistan but hurts the interests of the poor of Balochistan and increases their sufferings,” the President added.
The President said it was now up to the people of Balochistan to rise against those who want to see them mired in perpetual poverty. He said the dam, built under Vision 2030 and having a storage capacity of 32,700 acre feet would irrigate over 10,000 acres of land. The President said Balochistan’s progress and prosperity was closely linked to that of Pakistan.
President Musharraf said the completion of Sabakzai dam project would not only benefit the locals in overcoming scarcity of water, but also help them in irrigating land and get employment. He urged them to grow grapes and vegetables in addition to wheat, and especially plant olive which could prove as great export stuff. He said the government’s development projects for Balochistan focused on eliminating poverty and providing employment to the people. The President said the government had released 100 million rupees to develop the Quetta-Zhob broad-gauge railway line. He said 19 villages in Zhob district had been electrified while the number would be raised up to 50 soon. On telecommunication project, the President said the capacity of Wireless Local Loop would be enhanced to additional 1,000 lines in the area.
Musharraf took notice of the delay in providing gas to the area and said it would be checked on priority basis. He said the previous governments paid no heed to the prosperity ofBalochistan. However the present government was endeavouring to mitigate thesense of deprivation among Balochis by introducing projects worth 150 billion rupees for their uplift. President Musharraf mentioned the 1000 kilometre long Gwadar-Rato Dero road and the 750 km Coastal Highway from Karachi to Gwadar, which were proving important communication links.
Two more roads from Quetta to Zhob and the Quetta-Loralai-D.G Khan road are also under construction, he said. President Musharraf said more than 18,000 Baloch people were serving in Pakistan Army at present, in view of the government’s policy for the last five years. He said 5,300 Balochis had been introduced in Frontier Corps, while thousands of others from the province had also been inducted in police. He said the government had directed the defence-related institutions in the country to adjust people from Balochistan and teach them skills to help them earn to live better lives. On educational projects, the President said nine cadet colleges had been established in the province to impart quality education to the children. He urged the people to get benefit from the government’s vocational training institutes to learn skill for getting better jobs. “All our efforts for the people of Balochistan is to bring them at par with the rest of country and dispel their sense of deprivation,” he said. Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi said the Sabakzai dam would bring positive changes to the lifestyles of people in the area. He mentioned various projects such as Katchi, Thal and Reni Canals besides Gwadar Port and Coastal Highway which were contributing to the economic stability of the people.
Speaker Balochistan Assembly Jamal Shah Kakar said Balochistan is an important province of the country due to its natural resources. He stressed the need for developing a sense of trust between the government and the people of Balochistan. He asked the government to approve the PC-1 with 60 million rupees which had been drafted for the electrification of villages in the area.—Agencies