SUKKUR, Feb 23: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said his government has initiated mega projects to provide relief and facilities to the people and raise their living standard.

He was addressing a function on the occasion of the inauguration of the Dera Allah Yar-Notal National Highway on Monday. The project was completed at a cost of Rs729 million.

The prime minister said the project was a part of the Sukkur-Quetta highway. He said it would link Quetta with the Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar national highway and the Indus Highway. He said it had connected Balochistan with the national highways' network.

Mr Jamali said the government had started several projects for socio-economic development of the country. To raise the living standard of the people, provide them with quality education and to alleviate poverty in the country were the projects' main objects, he added.

He said efforts were being made to provide more job opportunities to the people. The prime minister said keeping in view the geographical importance of the country, the network of highways was being developed and expanded gradually.

He said due to economic relations with Central Asian countries, the project of the Gwadar port was of much importance. He said work on the first phase of the port was continuing with the assistance of China.

He said the Makran coastal highway was also under construction. He said its Liyari-Ormara section had already been completed. Mr Jamali said with the establishment of the port, not only job opportunities would increase for local people but trade of fish and dates would also get a boost.

He said other big projects included the Karachi Northern bypass, Liyari expressway, development of the Karakurram Highway, doubling of the Indus Highway and the Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar national highway.

He said the distance between Karachi and Peshawar would decrease by 400 kilometres after completion of the Indus Highway. The prime minister said Balochistan could play an important role in the economic rehabilitation of the country, adding that an extensive plan was being chalked out to take full advantage from its natural resources. He said the development of means of communication in the province was necessary for the purpose.

He also directed the National Highway Authority to construct an 85-kilometre road from Notal to Sibi up to Dec 31, complete an 8-kilometre Sibi bypass and a 26-kilometre road from Jacobabad to the Dera bypass.

The prime minister also announced one year extension in payment to agriculture loan defaulters and directed them to pay their loans by Dec 31. He said those who would clear their loans by the date would not be required to pay interest.

Federal Communication Minister Ahmad Ali also spoke on the occasion. National Highway Authority chairman Maj-Gen Farrukh Jawed briefed Mr Jamali about the project.