Several development projects under way in Balochistan: PM

• Opens Rs80bn Kachhi Canal designed to turn 72,000 acres of barren 
• land in Dera Bugti; Vote for those who work for uplift of the country
• PM Khaqan Abbasi claims that Nawaz left without creating anarchy;
• ECC meeting reviews the impact of Prime Minister's Export Package

DERA BUGTI: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi inaugurated Rs 80 billion Kachhi Canal designed to turn 72,000 acres of barren land in Balochistan in Dera Bugti District of Balochistan on Thursday.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the Prime Minister said the project was launched by former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in 1998 but due to ignorance of previous governments, it could not be completed on time.

Prime Minister has urged the people of Balochistan to vote for those political parties who had put the country and their province on the road to progress and prosperity. "Now you have to decide whether you want development of your country and province or otherwise, the future of Balochistan is in your hands, adding that the PML-N is the only political party which has always thought about Pakistan and put it on the path of development."

The Prime Minister stated this while speaking to a public gathering after inaugurating the Rs 80 billion Kachhi Canal designed to turn 72,000 acres of barren land in Balochistan green.

The Prime Minister said the PML-N did not believe on hallow slogans and promises but practically work for resolutions of people's problems. The Prime Minister said this vital project was initiated by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1998, however it fell victim to gross cost overrun and long delays. He said work on the project was started in 2002 but no attention was given by a dictator during his long tenure and the PPP government during its five year term and finally funds for it were released by the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He said most of the people were against this project but keeping in view the importance of the project it was revitalized with the active support of the federal government and commitment of WAPDA.

The Prime Minister said Kachhi Canal project would change destiny of the people of Dera Bugti, adding that "Pakistan owes to people of Sui as the entire country get benefited due to their natural gas." 

The Prime Minister assured the people of Dera Bugti that the issues of water and natural gas would be resolved on priority bases, adding "We will not repeat whatever wrongs were done with the people of Balochistan in the past and work to ease your problems."

The Prime Minister said the time was not far when Balochistan would become the most prosperous province of Pakistan. He said Rs 200 billion were being spent on various water projects in the province while Rs 25 billion power projects were underway. The Prime Minister said a huge amount of Rs 455 billion were spent on roads and highways in Balochistan of which most of the projects had been completed.

The Prime Minister announced that Rs 15 billion would be spent on providing natural gas to each district headquarter of the province. He said the federal government was establishing 29 universities in Balochistan which would change destiny of the people of the province besides after completion of Gwadar Port Balochistan would be the most prosperous province of the country.

Prime Minister Abbasi requested the misled Balochs to desist the path of deviance and put their share in the country's development. He said the PML-N government during the last four year has spread a network of motorways and roads besides completing numerous power and gas projects due to which electricity and gas load-shedding had been minimized.

No attention was given to water resources in the past but the PML-N government has started some gigantic hydro power projects that included Diamir Bhasha dam, Munda Dam, Kurram Tangi Dam, Dassu Dam, extension of Tarbela-4-5, adding that these projects would change destiny of the country, he added.

The Prime Minister on the occasion announced a number of development schemes for Dera Bugti which include setting up of a 50-bed hospital at a cost of Rs 100 million to be funded by the OGDL, Rs 110 million for Rescue Centre, Rs 10 million scholarships for 60 students of Dera Bugti and Rs 40 million for upgradation of intermediate college to degree level.

The Prime Minister said government respected the Supreme Court verdict of July 28, 2017, adding the prime minister immediately relinquished the charge as a result no chaos was created in the country. This is the victory of democracy as chaos blocked development of the country, the prime minister added.

Abbasi said that we will supply gas in every corner of Balochistan. "We will end the water problem of the people of Balochistan on permanent basis," he said. Work on this project was started in former prime minister Nawaz Sharif s second tenure, however, incompetence and lack of interest from the other governments led to further delay. 

He said that in the past four years Nawaz Sharif built motorways throughout the country, improved the situation of the water and created another body to curb water crisis in the country. "We are working on projects worth Rs. 200 billion in billion in Balochistan," he claimed.

Meanwhile, meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) was held at PM Office with Prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in chair.

The meeting reviewed the impact of Prime Minister's Export Package towards boosting country's exports. 

The Export Package worth Rs. 180 billion provides incentives to the exporters of textile and non-textile sectors for enhancing their export potential. The meeting noted that the Package has contributed significantly towards putting country's exports into growth trajectory. 

The meeting also considered various proposals for expanding the scope of Export Package and to include other sectors into its folds. The Prime Minister directed that a committee be constituted comprising of representatives of Finance, Commerce division and FBR to undertake a detailed analysis of the impact of Package and also propose changes in scope and coverage of the Export Package.

The ECC noted the availability of 2.788 million metric tonnes of sugar in the country and authorized Commerce Ministry to allow export of 0.5 MMT sugar to sugar mills. The Prime Minister directed that Inter-Ministerial Committee, already existing for this purpose, should regularly review sugar stock, export and price mechanism and make recommendations to the ECC in case of any abnormal price increase in the domestic market.

The ECC also approved grant of extension in processing period of export of wheat/wheat products from 31st August 2017 to 30th October 2017.

The meeting also approved a proposal by the Petroleum division to reallocate upto 15 MMCFD Jhal Magsi gas to M/s OGDCL and to allow its sale to any third party selected through competitive bidding process under a Term Gas & Purchase Agreement (GSPA) after fulfilling gas requirement of Jhal Magsi town. - NNI