QUETTA, Sept 27: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Yousuf announced on Saturday that jobless doctors will be accommodated on contract in the provincial health department.

Concluding the discussion on the adjournment motion tabled by Dr Shama Ishaque of the BNM in the provincial assembly, he said the government was responsible for tackling the unemployment problem, therefore his government was making concerted efforts to resolve the matter.

The chief minister observed that though we inherited the unemployment problem from the previous government, it was his prime responsibility to resolve the issue which was badly affecting the qualified youth.

It was due to lack of determination and proper strategy by the successive governments that the issue had taken a dangerous turn causing deprivation, disappointment and discouragement among the qualified youth.

Jam Yousuf asserted that the age limit of our children, after completing education, for recruitment crossed while seeking jobs in government departments and declared that the provincial government was preparing a programme that would resolve the matter permanently.

The chief minister said he would use his discretionary and special funds in accommodating the jobless youth. All the unemployed doctors would be taken on, which would cost the government Rs200 million, he said.

Health Minister Hafiz Hamadullah said he had told the striking doctors to cooperate with him to tackle the issue by discussing with the prime minister and chief minister. The present government had created 100 posts for doctors and a summary had also been prepared to be sent to the cabinet for establishing a four-tier system that would create more vacancies, he said.

Opposition leader Kachkol Ali Baloch stressed for determining a strategy to resolve the unemployment problem permanently. The provincial government should consult the federal government for funds in this regard, he suggested.

Dr Shama Ishaque lamented that the government had constructed basic and rural health centres’ buildings, but the buildings were being used either by the Frontier Corps or animals.

Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal of the PMAP emphasized that if the Punjab government could create vacancies for 4,500 doctors then why the Balochistan government could not employ 1,100 doctors.

Juma Khan Bugti of the JWP regretted that Balochistan was rich in resources and providing gas across the country, but natives of the province were in the grip of poverty and unemployment. If the government succeeded in curbing corruption, 2,400 qualified persons could be accommodated, he claimed.

Akbar Mengal of the BNP-Mengal alleged that when we raised voice against unemployment, the authorities registered false treason cases to put pressure on us not to mention the atrocities committed by Punjab against the oppressed smaller provinces.

Others who also spoken on the issue include: Muhammad Shafique, Shah Zaman Rind, Naseem Turyala, Sardar Azam Musakhel, Mir Habibur Rehman, Faisal Daud, Maulvi Rahim Bazai, Nasreen Khetran, Syed Mitaullah Agha and Maulvi Noor Muhammad.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar presiding over the session here on Saturday disposed of two adjournment motions by Maulvi Ataullah of the MMA, and Kachkol Ali Baloch of the BNM, Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal of the PMAP, Juma Khan Bugti the JWP and Akbar Mengal of the BNP-M.

Speaking on the adjournment motion moved by Maulvi Ataullah regarding the delay in laying gas line to Kalat, Jam Yousuf said the federal government had allocated Rs400 million to lay the line to Ziarat and Kalat.

He reminded the house that the department concerned launched projects according to its own priorities, but the work in this connection had already begun on Ziarat section.

The chief minister told the house that he discussed the issue on Friday with Federal Minister Nauraiz Shakoor on telephone and the minister assured him that the project would be begun soon. His government did not differentiate between the Balochs and Pukhtuns in providing funds and facilities, Jam Yousuf quoted the minister as saying.

The joint adjournment motion of Kachkol Ali, Rahim Ziaratwal, Juma Bugti, and Akbar Mengal was not pressed when Revenue Minister Mir Asim Kurd assured that the PSDP 2003-04 would be used and the opposition leader would be included in the committee concerned.

A majority of the members backed the resolution moved by Education Minister Maulana Wahid Siddique to nominate treasury bench member Rahila Durani as a representative on the Syndicate of Balochistan University.

The house on the resolutions moved by the MMA and PMAP lauded the services of veteran politician Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan for democracy and the constitutional and offered fateha for him.

The session was adjourned till Tuesday.