06 October 2004	Wednesday	20 Shaban 1425

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QUETTA, Oct 5: The Pakistan Muslim League, Balochistan, at a public meeting held in Mastung on Monday called upon that President Gen Pervez Musharraf to retain his army post , and supported mega projects and the setting up of cantonments in the province.

Presided over by provincial PML president and Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf, the meeting paid tributes to the armed forces and asked the president not to shed his uniform in the larger interest of the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Jam Yousuf said Balochistan was in an urgent need of financial help to bring its people out of deprivation. "We need more funds to implement the development programme and overcome the financial crisis being faced by the province," Jam Yousuf said and added that the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had been apprised of the problems and requirements of Balochistan during his recent visit to Quetta.

The chief minister said he had also discussed about the constitutional job quota of the province in the federal services and provision of jobs to the educated youth of Balochistan on vacancies that remained vacant due to non-implementation of the quota.

He said the prime minister was also apprised of the outstanding dues of Balochistan against the federal government. The premier had given full attention to the problems and requirements of the province and assured all help and cooperation in this regard, Mr Jam told people.

"We will protect the interests of Balochistan at all costs," Jam Yousuf vowed and said the coalition government was paying full attention to the development throughout the province and it was his efforts to reach every corner of the province for resolving the problems of the people.

He informed participants of the public meeting that President Musharraf had given a programme of Rs8 billion to Balochistan for the development of water resources and their protection, while Islamabad had also provided funds for village electrification in different areas of the province.

"We are establishing a cell in the chief minister secretariat that would be directly linked with president and PM secretariats," said Jam Yousuf. Referring to other problems being faced by the province, the chief minister said the provincial government was extending the subsidy of Rs3 billion on account of tube-wells in the province, which was a big burden on its exchequer.

He regretted that despite knowing the shortage of water, the Zamindars were running their tube-wells 24 hours and wasting water. This practice was also depleting the underground water level.

"If steps are not taken to control this situation, Balochistan will soon convert into a desert," he said and added that in the larger interest of the province, we had to take strict decisions in this regard.

The chief minister criticized those leaders and parties who were opposing the development process and said: "Loyalty to the country, province and motherland was very important to muster support of the masses," Jam Yousuf remarked.

He asked the people to elect those people in elections who could resolve your problems. The government, he said, was taking steps for providing maximum education facilities to students so they could give full attention to their studies.

The chief minister announced a development package of Rs5 million for Mastung and directed the district authorities to prepare PC-I of the development plans in this regard.