QUETTA, Oct 13: The Balochistan government decided on Monday to immediately approach Islamabad for financial assistance on interim basis to overcome the severe financial crunch being faced by the province during the current fiscal year.

Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf, during a meeting, directed the finance department officials to prepare concrete proposals for the resolution of the province’s financial problems on long-term basis.

Sources said the meeting expressed concern over the financial crisis in the province and it was observed that if funds were not provided by Islamabad immediately, the provincial government would not be able to pay salaries to its employees.

They said the provincial government had obtained Rs2 billion as overdraft from the State Bank to meet its financial requirements and had also stopped all payment for development activities.

Finance Secretary Zahid Mehmood briefed the meeting about the possible implications of delay in release of funds from the federal government.

He said certain assurances had been made during and after the preparation of the budget but “if the commitments made by Islamabad were not fulfilled in due course of time, the current deficit in the annual budget could jump to unmanageable limits.”

He said it would also affect the annual development programme.

He advised the government to immediately approach the centre and seek federal financial assistance.

The meeting prepared a strategy after reviewing the financial position and other difficulties being faced by the province.

It was decided that a delegation led by the chief minister would meet President Gen Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and urge them to resolve the financial crisis.

The delegation would request the federal government to provide interim financial relief to Balochistan till the new National Finance Commission award.

“Concrete steps should be suggested for seeking interim relief for resolving the financial crisis,” Jam Yousuf told the officials.

He said the president and the prime minister were taking interest in resolving the province’s problems.

He recalled that the president during his recent visit to Quetta had assured his help to cope with the financial problems of Balochistan.

He expressed the hope that the federal government would help Balochistan in solving its problems.

Senior Minister Maulana Abdul Wasay, Finance Minister Syed Ehsan Shah, Chief Secretary Ashraf Nasar, Planning and Development Additional Chief Secretary Nadir Ali and other officials attended the meeting.