Home »General News » Pakistan » Efforts on to settle Balochistan issue: Prime Minister

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  • Feb 4th, 2005
  • Comments Off on Efforts on to settle Balochistan issue: Prime Minister
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Thursday earnest reconciliatory efforts were underway to settle the Balochistan issue through mutual understanding. "We want to resolve the issue through mutual understanding and expect a positive outcome of the reconciliation efforts," Aziz told reporters at the PM House. He said a parliamentary committee headed by PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was making headway in its task to resolve the problems of the province and the government would implement the Committee's report.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PML secretary general Mushahid Hussain Syed and National Security Council secretary general Tariq Aziz were taking ahead the process of dialogue.

"We fully believe that the ongoing reconciliation process will bring positive results," the Prime Minister said.

"We would ensure the protection of vital national installations, as no Pakistani would desire any damage to national assets," he added.

Aziz said Balochistan was an important part of the country but it remained backward because of the neglect by previous regimes.

He said President General Pervez Musharraf given special attention to the province and the government had initiated a number of mega development projects in the past five years, including Gwadar deep sea port and coastal highway.

Aziz said the government had also involved the private sector in the development process to create ample job opportunities and bring prosperity to the province.

He said the government alone could not carry out such a huge developed work and the private sector had to play its effective role in helping the government take this process forward.

The Prime Minister pointed out that investors from within and outside the country could not away take the factories and mills and these would become national assets.

Referring to law and order situation, he said the government was taking appropriate measures and would continue its efforts in the right direction.

The government had launched mega projects worth Rs 130 billion in Balochistan.

The completion of the first phase of the Gwadar Port in the next few months would open up new vistas of development in the province, he said.

"We do not believe in mere claims, rather we believe in actions and implementation of concepts."

Aziz said the coastal highway would open up communication links between various areas and boost the trade activities, besides improving the living standard of the local population.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005


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