June 10, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 05, 1429

QUETTA, June 9: Balochistan will formally ask the federal government to help the province overcome its financial crisis and a parliamentary delegation headed by Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani will soon visit Islamabad for the purpose.

The decision was taken at a meeting also attended by Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani.

The delegation will meet Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Finance Minister Naveed Qamar and seek a special development grant for the province. It will also call for either writing off the overdraft of about Rs20 billion or converting it into a soft loan.

“The provincial team will also take up issues like gas royalty and several billion rupees owed by the Sindh government on account of Hub dam water,” the sources said.