QUETTA, March 10: Balochistan Governor Justice (retd) Amirul Mulk Mengal has exhorted the business community and investors to play their effective role in the development of the province by investing their capital and expanding their business and industry.

The national and international investors would feel encouraged and come forward if the local ones put their money in Balochistan projects, he said while speaking at a seminar on Afghanistan’s reconstruction, held under the auspices of Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Sunday.

Leading businessmen, industrialists, provincial ministers and other officials concerned also attended the one-day seminar.

The governor said that Balochistan’s investors could pave the way for foreign investment by setting the trend with the establishment of industries.

He said the province held great promise for expansion of such sectors as minerals, livestock, fisheries, cottage industries and handicraft. People could earn foreign exchange through investing in these sectors, he said.

He said it was a great misfortune that facilities of grading, packaging, processing and storage in the province were not of international standard, which was a great hurdle in the export of Balochistan’s fruit and many other products to foreign countries.

Justice Mengal said there was no need of huge funds for setting up of plants for extending these facilities to the exporters. Despite incentives offered by the provincial government, the private sector did not take any interest in these fields.

He assured that the government would extend all possible help and cooperation to the investors and would ensure provision of land, water and power connections.

Speaking about the importance of Chaman, he said it was a very old and historic border town which had served as an international passageway since long. He said this town had great importance in terms of trade.

“With the situation in Afghanistan returning to normal, Chaman would assume more importance and play a role of a big trade centre,” Justice Mengal said.

He promised that he would apprise the federal government of all the demands and suggestions presented by the Chaman chamber.

The governor informed the seminar participants that the government had provided Rs200 million for the development of Chaman and district Qila Abdullah.

He said various development projects had already been completed in the district. A dry port for Chaman had been approved; the Railways was spending Rs52 million for extending tracks up to Zero point.

He asked the business community to pay their taxes as no country could be run without tax collection.

Provincial Minister for Industry Sardar Mohammad Ali Jogezai, President, Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jamal Abdul Nasir and Senior Vice-President Chaudhry Mumtaz also spoke on the occasion.

law and order: Talking to delegations from Kalat, Ziarat, Chaman and Qila Abdullah, who called on him with provincial ministers, Jalil Khan Dotani and Mir Hussian Bukhsh Bangulzai, the governor stressed upon the people to maintain law and order for the continuation of development activities without any hurdle.

He said the government was taking all possible measures for upholding the rule of law in the province. He said that for smooth and speedy development, peace and order was necessary and the government wanted to implement all development projects in different areas of the province. He said the people should extend their help and cooperation for maintaining law and order.

The governor said the government would take steps for improving the law and order situation in Chaman and other border areas of the province. “Rule of law would be maintained at all costs and there will be no compromise on this issue,” he announced.

He said that under the local government system the development funds were also being issued to the union and Tehsil Nazims and now it was their responsibility to spend the funds honestly on the development schemes and resolve the problems faced by the people.

The governor said that at the initial stage some difficulties were faced by the government in the implementation of system, which would be removed. He urged the Nazims and councilors to work jointly for the success of the system and honour the democratic traditions.

Justice Mengal retired said that the aim of the opposition and treasury benches should be to serve the people and in this regard political differences should not be a hurdle.