QUETTA, March 1: President Pervez Musharraf has said he is prepared to meet people who are against development projects in Balochistan and address their grievances.

They were Pakistanis and if they had certain demands he was prepared to meet them, the president said while addressing a public meeting held in Sibi to mark the conclusion of the Sibi festival on Thursday.

He, however, asked what he called anti-development forces to desist from subversion and sabotage and take part in activities launched by the government for progress and prosperity of Balochistan.

He announced Rs10 million grant for each tehsil in the province for development projects and Rs20 million For Sibi.

He said that the fate of Pakistan and Balochistan were inter-linked and the progress of Balochistan would be the progress of the entire nation.

He said that elements targeting gas pipelines, railways tracks and electricity pylons were enemies of the people, adding that no one could separate Balochistan from Pakistan.He called upon the people to vote for ‘positive forces’ who supported his government’s policies aimed at improving the lives of the poor masses.

He acknowledged that Balochistan had been neglected in the past and the province suffered in the economic field. But now, he said, his government was making concerted efforts to bring the province at par with Punjab.

Gen Musharraf said that all development projects in the province would be completed by 2008. The Kachhi canal would start getting water which would be used to irrigate about 700,00 acres of land and provide employment to 700,00 people.

He said the Mirani dam, which had been completed, would irrigate 36,000 acres of land and work was in progress on the Sabakzai dam. Besides, Bolan, Norang and Tali Tangi dams would also be built.

The president ordered the

setting up of campus of Agricultural University and Balochistan University in Sibi. He also said that seven cadet colleges would be set up in the province and 1,000 scholarships would be awarded to Balochistan students for studying in higher educational institutions of the country.

The president said that the road from Sibi to Kohlu would be completed. The government, he added, planned to extend the railway line from Bostan to Zhob and that would be converted into broad gauge.

He said that Balochistan would be connected with the NWFP and Punjab through the national highways and a road would be built from Quetta to the Iranian border.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, federal minister Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind and Sibi District Nazim Mir Ali Mardan Domki also addressed the meeting.

Provincial Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, Senate Deputy Chairman Mir Jan Muhammad Jamali, federal minister Shamim Siddiqui, minister of state Mir Naseer Mengal, provincial ministers, tribal elders and senior civil and military officials were present at the meeting.