QUETTA, June 11: Federal Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Saleem Saifullah Khan has called for maximum provincial autonomy to help the provinces run their own affairs.
Addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House here on Sunday at the end of his two-day visit to Balochistan, he said he himself belonged to a small province and stood for maximum autonomy for the provinces so that they could run their own affairs.
The minister, however, did not agree with a questioner that appointment of an army general as the inspector-general of federal projects in Balochistan was not in conformity with the principal of provincial autonomy.
He said the appointment had been made to ensure timely completion of projects.
Replying to a question about resolving the Balochistan crisis through negotiations, he said being a political worker he believed in solving problems through dialogue. He said the government was ready for holding talks to resolve the Balochistan issue.
Mr Khan said he would try to implement recommendations of the parliamentary committee, headed by Senator Mushahid Hussain, for solving Balochistan’s problems. He said the committee had representation from all parties, including nationalists.
Answering a question, he said recommendations of nationalist parties had been included in the committee report and they had expressed reservations only about construction of cantonments in the province. He said the constitutional committee, headed by Senator Wasim Sajid, had yet to submit its report.
The minister said some recommendations of the parliamentary committee had already been implemented, and the office of the Gwadar Port Authority had been shifted to Gwadar and Rs120 million had been distributed among fishermen in the area.
He said the Quetta airport would get night landing facility by September and work on construction of a modern international airport at Gwadar would start soon, for which the Oman government was providing $75 million. He said the provincial government had provided land for the airport.
Mr Khan said seven per cent of the Gwadar port income would be spent on development and welfare of the people of the new port city and a decision in this regard had already been taken.
He said maximum jobs in the port would be given to local people and the government had allocated Rs200 million for establishing a girls’ college in Gwadar. He said the federal government would provide cooperation and financial assistance for developing the Balochistan coastline.
The minister said that in line with an announcement of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz about creating 30,000 jobs in Balochistan, 4,000 people had been recruited for the Balochistan Constabulary and more people would soon be inducted in the FC and other government departments.
Replying to another question, he said he would take up Balochistan’s grievances and efforts would be made to redress them. “The issues of financial crisis, gas development surcharge, gas royalty and the price of gas will be taken up with the centre,” said Mr Khan, adding that the issue of outstanding dues on account of Hub dam water against Sindh would be taken up with the Sindh government.
He said he would discuss with the prime minister the issue of reduction of Rs1.5 billion in Balochistan’s gas royalty share.
He said development schemes worth Rs144 billion were in progress in Balochistan and the National Highway Authority was spending its 34 per cent funds on development of infrastructure in the province.
He said the Coastal Highway would play an important role in the development of Makran.
He said the president had written off agriculture loans of Rs6 billion in Balochistan and a notification in this respect would be issued soon.
