LORALAI, April 20: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said on Saturday that seeking people’s mandate through a referendum was quite democratic and constitutional and added that it would help stabilize economic and political situation in the country.

He was talking to the Nazims, councillors and notables of Loralai, Zhob, Qila Saifullah and Ziarat here on Saturday.

The president announced an additional development package for the four districts of northern Balochistan.

Rejecting the political parties’ stand on referendum, Gen Musharraf asserted that holding of referendum was constitutional as the 1973 Constitution allowed the president to go for a referendum on national issues.

Referring to the under-construction Gwadar deepwater project, he said the port would not only contribute to the progress of Balochistan but also to the overall prosperity of the country. He said that $4 billion investment for the reconstruction of Afghanistan would route through Gwadar port and added that Central Asian states would also use this port for their trade with the rest of the world.

The government, said the president, had launched many other projects in the province, including the Coastal Highway, Merani Dam and Kachhi Canal.

“Balochistan has been given more than its rightful share to remove the past sense of deprivation among people,” the president said and added that more funds would be provided to this backward province to bring it on a par with other provinces.

In the past, he pointed out, some vested interest had tried to create differences between Baloch and Pakhtoon communities in the province. In contrast, he added, the present government had launched development projects in all the areas of the province.

“It should be noted that we exist with Pakistan and if Pakistan does not exist then there will be no Baloch, Pakhtoon, Punjabi and Sindhi,” Gen Musharraf remarked and urged the people to shun their differences and get united for making Pakistan a developed, strong, stable and prosperous country.

Giving details of the development package, he said the federal government would provide Rs30 million for the beautification of the Ziarat Valley and for gas supply to the area. He announced Rs20 million for the construction of ‘delay action dams’ on suitable locations in the province. The president promised to provide funds for the improvement of Loralai-Speraragha Road, Quetta-Zhob Road and Kachh-Harnai Road, and added that the construction of Dera Ghazi Khan-Loralai Road was already in progress.

He said the government was alive to the situation arising out of the prolonged drought spell and added that besides constructing small delay action dams, it would also build a bigger dam, Subakzai Dam, in Zhob at a cost of Rs80 million.

The president announced setting up of a cadet college either at Qila Saifullah or Zhob as well as upgradation of Loralai Residential Inter College.

He urged the youth to work hard and prepare themselves to meet the intellectual requirements of the province. He pointed out that if people for highly-skilled and professional jobs were not available in the province, they would come from other provinces. Therefore, he maintained, it was the responsibility of the younger generation of the province to accept the challenge and acquire necessary knowledge with proficiency to get those jobs.

APP ADDS: The president announced that 50,000 tons of wheat would be distributed among the poor affected by drought in the province. The federal government would provide 30,000 tons and the rest would come from the provincial government. The distribution would be made through army to ensure transparency, he added.