20 January 2005	Thursday	09 Zilhaj 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: A report on Balochistan's share in federal government jobs since 1972 and measures needed to be taken to enhance it was presented to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday by federal minister for States and Frontier Region who headed a three-member ministerial team set up for the purpose.

The committee was constituted by the prime minister on the demand of Baloch MPs who had raised the issue of less than constitutionally provided representation to Balochistan in federal jobs.

It may be mentioned that a special committee comprising members of treasury and opposition in both houses of parliaments, headed by PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, is working on a comprehensive report on Balochistan.

Two sub-committees of the parliamentary committee, one headed by Senator Mushahid Hussain and other by Senator Wasim Sajjad, the Leader of the House in Senate, are working on political, economical as well as legal aspects of the Balochistan issue and are likely to submit their report soon.

The federal government has already decided to provide 10,000 jobs to Baloch youths in the Frontier Corps and is reported to be considering to provide more jobs to meet conditions of Baloch nationalist elements for coming to the negotiating table.

At Wednesday's meeting, Mr Rind told the premier that his committee had exchanged views with representatives of various sections of the society and all political parties of Balochistan before finalizing the report.

The prime minister said that the government was taking all possible steps to provide maximum opportunities to the Baloch youth to excel in various fields of life and stress was being laid on the skill development.

He stressed the need for private sector to come forward and play its role in creating maximum job opportunities for the youth. He said that vocational training institutes were set up in Gwadar and elsewhere in Balochistan and the committee's recommendations would be taken up at the highest level.