QUETTA, June 3: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the government will hold talks with the angry Baloch leaders living abroad and give to the people of Balochistan all their rights.

Talking to a delegation of provincial PPP leaders here on Sunday, he said the government had made the Baloch people owners of their resources by resolving the issue of provincial autonomy.

The provinces are also enjoying financial autonomy after the 18th Amendment and Balochistan has benefited the most from the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.

“Under the award, Balochistan’s share has increased to Rs120 billion from Rs40 billion.”

He said the share of provinces in federal resources would reach 70 per cent in the next financial year and it would also benefit Balochistan.

The prime minister said the welfare and wellbeing of the people of Balochistan was his priority. “Balochistan is close to my heart.”

He said he was striving to solve the problems of the province which had been ignored by pervious governments.

He said he had asked the provincial chief secretary to select 35,000 graduates in the province for jobs to be given by the government and

1,500 people had been recruited in the Levies.

He said 1,500 more jobs would be given this year in the federal Levies force in Balochistan. The federal government will recruit 10,000 youths and 5,000 of them would be sent abroad after acquiring skills in their fields.

Prime Minister Gilani said the federal government had allocated Rs6 billion for scholarships for youths of Balochistan and created opportunities for them to get education in the country’s leading institutions.

He said Rs31 billion would be released this year for completion of the Kachhi Canal project which would bring about a green revolution and boost the province’s economy.

Already Rs3.2 billion has been allocated for completion of the Gwadar-Ratodero road.

“Gwadar Port will be fully operational after completion of this highway that will also improve connectivity with other provinces.”

He said the government had improved relations with all neighbours and an accord on Afghan transit trade was a milestone that would bring billions of dollars to the country.

He said Rs1 billion had been allocated for providing natural gas to Chagai and Rs4.1 billion for the development of Sui and Kohlu.

TUBE-WELLS: Talking to PPP’s Deputy Parliamentary Leader in Balochistan Assembly Mir Madad Ali Jattak, the prime minister said efforts were under way to run tube-wells in Balochistan with solar energy and the government would give generous subsidies for the purpose. “Successful installation of the solar energy system in Balochistan will help save electricity in the national grid.”

He said the government was ready to give 50 per cent subsidy on tube-wells to boost the agricultural sector in the province.

The prime minister said Rs5 billion had been distributed among poor families in Balochistan under the Benazir Income Support Programme and Rs10 billion was in pipeline.

The opening of information technology centres across the country will create job opportunities for millions of jobless people.

The people of Balochistan were patriotic and talented and they only needed opportunities, he said.

The prime minister landed in Quetta soon after an attack in the city claiming lives of six people, including a policeman.

He expressed his sympathies with the victims of the firing incident.

Talking to a delegation of Hazara community which had called on him at Governor’s House, the prime minister expressed concern over deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan and asked the provincial government to take concrete measures to ensure peace and security.

“A concerted strategy must be evolved for improving law and order and promoting peace and brotherhood in Balochistan,” he said.

The prime minister said any negligence on the part of the law-enforcement authorities would not be tolerated.

The delegation headed by Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara apprised the prime minister of continuing incidents of target killings in the city.

LAWYERS: A delegation of the Balochistan Bar Council, led by Munir Kakar, offered full support to the prime minister for his efforts to promote the rule of law and his struggle to safeguard democracy and uphold the Constitution.

Mr Gilani asked Law Minister Farooq Naek to study the possibility of setting up high court benches in Turbat and Loralai.

Talking to a delegation of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association, led by Nazir Agha, the prime minister said free, fair and transparent elections would be held to pave way for smooth transition of government.