QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet has decided to utilise natural resources, including oil and gas, to make the province economically self-sufficient and generate funds for the achievement of development goals.

The decision was made at a cabinet meeting held here on Tuesday and presided over by Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri. The meeting, which lasted for over six hours, discussed different issues of the province.

Later briefing journalists on the meeting, Balochistan government spokesman Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar said that the cabinet had resolved that the provincial government would exercise powers it enjoyed after the 18th Amendment regarding control over natural resources of the province.

It decided to approach international companies to seek their assistance for exploiting natural resources and undertake joint ventures with national and international companies.

The cabinet approved establishment of circuit benches of the Balochistan High Court in Loralai and Khuzdar and setting up of three authorities — the Safe Citizens Authority, the Waste Management Authority and the Parks and Horticulture Authority.

The spokesman said that the establishment of another authority on Gadani ship-breaking industry was also discussed but a decision was deferred till next meeting.

He said that the cabinet also decided to set up a committee for legislation on Gwadar which would pave way for legislation to safeguard interests of local people.

He said that a Chinese team had arrived in Quetta to undertake a survey of the city’s mass transit train project. The survey will be completed by June and then work will start on the project.

The cabinet was informed that a Chinese company had pledged to invest Rs22 billion in the Gwadar airport project, which would be completed by the middle of this year.

He said that the cabinet had decided to request the federal government to confer a civil award and Quaid-i-Azam Police Award on Abdul Razzaq, an official of the Bomb Disposal Squad who was recently killed when a bomb he was trying to defuse went off.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2017