QUETTA, July 6: Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani on Tuesday denied launching of a military operation in any area of the province, including Kohlu and Dera Bugti.
"Till today no military operation has been launched in the province," he told newsmen after attending a local bodies' convention.
He said the government had no plan to conduct a military operation in the province. He termed reports about such an operation rumours. Replying to a question, he said the meeting held here recently had discussed the overall law and order situation in the province and not taken any special decision.
He said that the chiefs of the law-enforcement agencies presented their reports about the law and order in the meeting. "The meeting did not taken any decision of launching an operation in any area," he said.
He said the government would remove the apprehensions of the National Party, which had offered negotiations on various issues, including the Gwadar port. "We are in contact with reach other on Balochistan's issues," he said and added: "I am optimistic about the results of these contacts."
The governor said he was also in contact with Jamhoori Watan Party Chief Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and a meeting with him was expected soon.
CM: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf said on Monday that the provincial government enjoyed full powers to take political decisions and implement those.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Quetta flyover, he said the bureaucracy was bound to implement all political decisions. The 155-metre-long and 50-feet-wide flyover will be constructed at a cost of Rs290 million in 18 months.
It will connect six roads of the city. The chief minister said his government was working on an agenda of development. "We will not abandon the process of uplift of Balochistan despite the opposition of certain elements," he said and added that the government had taken decisions for the welfare of people.
He said his government was determined to bring Balochistan at par with the developed provinces. He said it was the responsibility and duty of the bureaucracy to implement all decisions of the government.
He said priorities had been fixed for speedy development of the province and a huge amount allocated in the Public Sector Development Programme for the purpose. He said the government had decided to complete all the projects in the communications sector as it was necessary for socio-economic development in the province.
He said the road network in the province would be improved to link all the districts and tehsils with each other. He said the government had announced a development package of Rs500 million for the provincial capital. The amount would be spent on beautification of the city and providing civic amenities to the people.
The chief minister said he had requested President Gen Pervez Musharraf to announce a comprehensive development package for Quetta. He said the president was expected to announce the package soon.
He said the government was shifting bus and truck stands out of the city to make it pollution free. He said the step would help resolve traffic problems. He said another flyover project on the Sariab Road would be launched. Provincial Communications Minister Agha Faisal Daud also spoke.
