22 May 2004	Saturday	02 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

ISLAMABAD, May 21: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali at a high-level meeting here on Friday reviewed the financial and development projects of Balochistan.

Stressing the need for fiscal discipline, he said the uplift plans being carried out in Balochistan would help reduce backwardness of the area. He also directed the officials concerned to keep expenditures transparent and tightly controlled. The premier said the federal government was also undertaking many mega development projects.

In this connection, Gwadar Deep Sea Port, Coastal Highway and a whole network of roads had been initiated to improve provincial infrastructure and bring a positive change in the lives of the locals, he said.

With the increased economic activity, the province could generate additional resources to finance employment-generating projects in the region, he added. Earlier, Balochistan Finance Minister Syed Ehsan Shah gave a detailed briefing on the development projects being implemented by the provincial government.

Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, Balochistan ministers Maulana Abdul Wasey and Mir Abdur Rehman Jamali, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Shuja Shah, Finance Secretary Nawid Ahsan, Balochistan Finance Secretary Zahid Mehmood and Dr Gulfaraz Ahmad attended the meeting. -APP