June 28, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 23, 1429

QUETTA, June 27: Forty-three missing people have been traced by the authorities concerned and efforts are being made to locate others, says Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani.

He was speaking to newsmen after the provincial assembly approved his government’s first budget here on Friday.

The chief minister said the government was trying to resolve all issues confronting Balochistan.

“We believe in continuing the process of national reconciliation,” he said, adding that the PPP was sincerely making efforts for resolving all issues pertaining to the province.

Referring to the province’s financial crisis, the chief minister said that preparing the provincial budget had been a tough job but it had been facilitated by the grant of Rs3 billion from the Prime Minister’s special fund.

He said Balochistan would soon get Rs3 billion more on account of Uch gas field royalty that was previously being paid at less than 12.5 per cent. He thanked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for resolving the province’s financial problems.

He also praised the efforts of the provincial Chief Secretary, Nasir Mehmood Khosa.

Nawab Raisani said his government would not only protect the rights of the Baloch and Pashtoon but of all the nationalities living in Balochistan. However, he urged lawmakers to concentrate on resolving the people’s problems, instead of levelling allegations and criticising each other in the assembly.

He said the law and order situation had improved in Quetta and other parts of the province. “Law and order is better now and efforts are being made to further improve it.”