The financial resources which could have been spent on human development, especially on schools and health for better quality of life to people, had to be diverted towards security, stated the Prime Minister while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a two-day Balochistan Development Forum organized by the Chief Minister's Policy Reform Unit (CMPRU), Government of Balochistan with the technical assistance of UNDP.
He further said the government is committed to wiping out terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against terrorists. The operation Zarb-e-Azb and allied counter-terrorism initiatives across Pakistan are guided by following these principles, said Prime Minister, adding that no stone would be left unturned to make sure that all areas of Pakistan, particularly FATA, KPK and Balochistan, are cleansed of all kinds of terrorists, militants and violent extremists. "We are confident that our counter-terrorism policy and operation will improve the already positive investment climate and economic-turnaround sentiments. Indeed, Balochistan, as a region, is going to be the biggest beneficiary of this positive change," Nawaz Sharif added.
Despite financial constraints, the government has provided substantial resources to support and supplement the efforts of the provincial government of Balochistan to address the needs of people. The allocation for Federal PSDP (Public Sector Development Program) in Balochistan has been substantially enhanced. During the current fiscal year, Rs 61 billion has been allocated, which is 37% higher as compared to financial year 2012-13. Rs 15 billion has been earmarked in PSDP 2014-15 as a 'Special Development Package' for Balochistan, which is the highest amongst all provinces.
He further said that to ensure a steady and a predictable flow of financial resources in accordance with the relevance of the principle of inverse density, the share of Balochistan province has been significantly increased from 5.11% to 9.09% in the 7th NFC award. Further, Balochistan's share is being protected on the basis of budgetary projections and not affected by any revenue shortfall, which is borne by the federal government. During the current financial year, about Rs 80 billion has since been transferred to the Government of Balochistan against the budget estimates of Rs 162 billion. In addition to it, Rs 120 billion is being released to Government of Balochistan under Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan at the rate of Rs 10 billion per annum from financial year 2010-11, he added.
The Prime Minister said that in the last financial year, for the first time ever, the federal government released 100% funds to Balochistan for its development and non-development activities. The federal government will do its best to support the development strategy of Balochistan.
Balochistan is central to Pakistan and is becoming a regional hub for trade in goods and energy. Its strategic location makes it crucial both for the East and West as well as for the North-South trade routes. Balochistan is going to be the main beneficiary under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Developing Gwadar Port, Gwadar Port City and allied infrastructure, including a new modern airport at Gwadar, and improved inland connectivity will make Gwadar a hub of not only our national, but also the regional trade. Establishment of Free Trade Zones and Special Economic Zones will underpin its prospects to become an attractive destination for foreign and domestic investment. These initiatives will bring about a socio-economic revolution for the people of Balochistan, the Prime Minister added.
Sharif further said the federal government is also financing and implementing a number of projects to address major gaps in infrastructure, as well as human development indicators in the province. The construction of M-8 (Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab and Khuzdar-Ratodero) and N-85 (Hoshab-Basima-Sorab) will greatly improve its connectivity with the up-country. The federal government has also launched a project costing Rs 4 billion, in collaboration with the provincial government, for the construction of houses for earthquake victims of Awaran District. Similarly, to meet the electricity demand of Balochistan, a 300MW power plant is planned to be set-up in Gwadar, two additional transmission lines 220 KV Dadu-Khuzdar and 220 KV DG Khan-Loralai have already been completed. These interventions will help minimise distribution failures in Balochistan.
The Balochistan government has made a meaningful progress in the socio-economic uplift of people during the past one and a half years. The reconstruction of Ziarat Residency in its original shape in record time, holding of Local Government Elections in the province, rehabilitation of earthquake affectees of district Awaran, implementation of major infrastructure and social sectors projects, and above all, improving security environment in the province are only a few mentionable measures and achievements of the coalition government of Balochistan.
"All of us are cognisant of the fact that owing to neglect in the past Balochistan lagged behind in socio-economic development. There is a lot that needs to be done to address the situation. Some corrective measures have already been undertaken in the shape of 7th NFC Award, Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, 18th Amendment and substantive allocations for development projects," he said. Higher education can provide entitlement to upcoming youth. Therefore to promote Higher Education facilities in Balochistan, Universities at Lasbela, Quetta, Loralai and Turbat are being financed besides upgrading laboratories and Institutes. COMSAT Institute of Technology is being set-up at Jaffarabad. A special provision has been made for scholarships for the students of Balochistan under the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package.
The federal government is also cognisant of the fact that agriculture and livestock are the backbone of the economy of Balochistan. The development of water resources such as Kacchi Canal and Naulang Dam will further improve prospects of economic well-being in the province. Recently, on the request of Government of Balochistan, Rs 500 million has been released for the establishment of Cold Storage Facility at Turbat, Ketch. "I hope the farmers of the area will greatly benefit from this facility and enhance their incomes," he said.
The Prime Minister said that the Reko Diq has huge copper and gold deposits which will bring prosperity for the people of Balochistan. The federal government is determined to give full support to the provincial government to resolve the issue of Reko Diq at the earliest and to start the project in the shortest possible time. Both the federal and the provincial governments are doing all they could to ensure growth and development and a peaceful environment in Balochistan. However, as the developmental gaps are huge, it is imperative that synergies are created by development partners, civil society and foreign and local investors to give an impetus to the developmental efforts. Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik invited international investors to invest in different sectors for the development of the province. He said the province can guarantee a strong and peaceful future for Pakistan and added that he is confident that the federal government will help in expediting the exploration of natural resources.
He said the core objective of the event was to share understanding on the development priorities of provincial coalition government addressing critical sectors in Balochistan's economy and society. Balochistan needs to have a three-pronged strategy for inclusive development which includes: (a) Institutional development, (b) infrastructure development and (c) human resource development. These three key areas need to have a simultaneous and co-ordinated development strategy - as one sector cannot be developed in isolation. Balochistan has substantial reservoirs of mines, minerals and gas of the highest quality. Gwadar is a potential port of future connecting continents and regions for trade, commerce and cultural interactions. Development of Gwadar Port and completion of road network in Balochistan can fulfil the objective of making Pakistan a busy trade corridor for China, Afghanistan, Iran and other Central Asian countries. Reko Diq, Saindak and other areas with great treasures need to be explored for a better economic output, he added.
Regretfully, the development potential of Balochistan was wasted during the last six decades. This needs to be reversed now to improve the well-being of the people of Balochistan, he added. The forum is one such example towards this attempt, where all stakeholders have been brought together under one roof to discuss, debate and create a consensus on the development agenda of Balochistan. He further said that the failure of development and absence of democratic and representative governance for a long time in the history of Pakistan in general; and Balochistan in particular have contributed to a chronic sense of deprivation and stagnation. Continuity of democratic politics and investment in development will ultimately lead to conflict prevention, he added.
Law and order has been restored to a great extent in Balochistan in the last eighteen months through a combination of developmental and political approach. But I think there is still great room for furthering these ventures. For improving the security in Balochistan, I would like to appreciate the role of Law Enforcing Agencies and in particular the good co-ordination between the provincial government and the Headquarters Southern Command, he said.
He said that he would like to draw people's attention to a historical Article of the Constitution of Pakistan introduced through the 18th Constitutional Amendment. This is Article 172(3), which empowers provinces to have a joint and equal ownership and control of natural resources with the Federal Government. This was a long standing demand of Balochistan which was finally inserted in the Constitution.
He urged the international community to play its role in furthering the interest of Balochistan and creating more opportunities for development in all sectors. He further said the provincial government seeks guidance and suggestions from foreign counterparts to share their knowledge, technical expertise and also financial resources for the uplift of critical sectors of Balochistan. The provincial government would facilitate donors to develop a more co-ordinated mechanism for concerted efforts directed towards the development of the people of Balochistan. Speaker Balochistan Assembly Jan Jamali urged the Chief Minister of the province to assert provincial autonomy provided by the 18th constitutional amendment and push the agenda for the inclusive development of Balochistan and betterment of its people.
Senator Hasil Bizenjo, while discussing the potential of the province, said that Balochistan's vast lands and resources remain untapped and waiting for investors and industrialists to come and use the opportunity Hamid Khan Achakzai, Provincial Minister for Planning and Development, said that Balochistan can become the economic corridor and he urged the federal government to realign the Gwadar-Kashgar highway to help under-served areas of the province.
Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan said that development agenda developed through democratic norms has a more sustainable basis. He also said that the Gwadar-Kashgar highway will begin in Balochistan and end in Gilgit-Baltistan, thereby connecting the two provinces.
In his presentation, Dr Kaiser Bengali said that it was equally important to invest in the productive sectors, infrastructure and social development to address the issues of under-development in a holistic manner. He also identified 14 growth centers across the province that can lead the economic activity based on their own indigenous natural resources and act as engines of growth to pull up rest of the areas along with them.