ISLAMABAD Aug 17: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday said rapid development of Balochistan and welfare of its people was a priority of his government but it will enforce its writ at all costs and there will be no compromise on the issue of law and order.

Talking to a delegation of PML leaders and elders of the Khuzdar district who called on him at his parliament house chamber, Mr Aziz said the government was paying special attention to development of Balochistan.

He said that in addition to big development projects, focus was also on small welfare schemes like provision of health and education facilities, clean drinking water and construction of roads.

He said the law and order situation in the province was improving, adding that no one would be allowed to challenge the writ of the government.

The prime minister said the government had started an elaborate programme to impart skills in all the provinces, especially Balochistan, so that local people were able and available to do jobs requiring technical skills.

He said 2006 was the centennial year of the creation of the Pakistan Muslim League and

it was “our responsibility to make the country strong, vibrant and developed, and for this we need to create unity in our ranks and adopt the qualities of honesty, integrity and hard work”.

Mr Aziz said the government was also trying to develop the Balochistan coastal belt, which would provide more employment opportunities to people living there.

He said that after construction of the Kutchi Canal, thousands of acres of land would be brought under cultivation.

The prime minister said the government would consider providing gas facility to the Khuzdar district on priority basis.