QUETTA, Nov 3: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf has said that the venue and date of a tribal Jirga of Baloch sardars and tribal elders convened by the government has been changed and now it will be held in the coastal town of Gwadar on November 16.

Talking to newsmen during a visit to the under-construction Quetta Press Club building here on Friday, he said that the jirga was earlier planned to be held in Islamabad on November 8, but the date and venue had been changed.

He said that President Pervez Musharraf would be in Gwadar on November 16 and he would address Baloch and Pashtoon tribal sardars and elders. During his stay in Gwadar, the president would visit the Gwadar deep-sea port and review the pace of work on other mega projects launched by the federal government in the area.

Earlier, the chief minister announced a Rs5 million grant for completion of the press club building.

He said the government and the press were enjoying cordial relations in Balochistan. He said that the government received guidance from the press and it wanted to strengthen its relations with media.

APP adds: Presiding over a meeting to review progress on road projects in the province, Mr Yousuf expressed dissatisfaction over delay in construction of a flyover in the provincial capital and directed the quarters concerned to complete the project in six months.

He directed the finance department to release the funds for the flyover project on time so that it could be completed in stipulated period.

The chief minister ascertained the causes of delay in the completion of flyover from the contractor and ordered their immediate removal.

If the project was not completed within given time, strict action would be taken against those concerned, he warned.

He said road construction was top priority of the provincial government which was evident from the fact that substantial funds had been allocated for this sector.

The chief minister issued directives for completion of all road projects on schedule and provision of funds for the College of Home Economics and Quetta College of Arts.

He also ordered release of funds for purchase of furniture for the newly constructed girls’ college in Hazara town.

Earlier, the meeting reviewed progress on road projects, particularly farm to market roads, Zhob-Qamar Din Karaiz and Quetta-Ziarat road projects.

The meeting was told that 400-km long roads were being constructed in different area of the province under the Asian Development Bank-sponsored farm to market road projects. Besides, funds for Ziarat-Quetta road had been released and the project would be completed in a month.

Provincial Finance Minister Syed Ehsan Shah, the additional chief secretary, sectaries of finance, communication and works department and others attended the meeting.