QUETTA, April 8: The Balochistan government on Sunday imposed a ban on transfer of all kinds of land till the completion of a survey of the Sonmiani and Lairi tehsils in district Lasbela, where the construction of a port had been proposed.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting here held under the Chief Minister, Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf.

The meeting reviewed issues related to the proposed port including the provision of land and rights and interests of the local population.

The chief minister gave directions to the concerned departments and officials to complete the survey of the areas as soon as possible. "The rights and interests of the local people must be protected at all costs," he said, adding that the government would take all possible measures in this connection and all issues would be discussed with the president and prime minister.

Provincial chief secretary K.B. Rind informed the meeting that he had undertaken an aerial view of the proposed area on Sunday in view of the decisions taken at a high-level meeting on the project held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.