QUETTA: The vice president of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), Fehmida Jamali, said on Sunday that potential of Balochistan as a regional hub for energy and trade would only be realised with a collective civil-military approach for the province’s security and development.

Talking to media personnel here, she said law and order situation in Balochistan had improved and crime rate was on the decline due to successful, across the board and targeted operations by the FC and police against terrorists, criminals and elements involved in sectarian violence.

Fehmida Jamali said infrastructure and communication network must be planned and executed for the utilisation of potential resources of Balochistan. Moreover, Gwadar Port would be connected by rail and road links with Central Asian states for a peaceful Balochistan.

She said the provincial government should encourage the SME sector which would reduce unemployment and boost economic activities in the province.

According to estimates, 25,000 people graduate in Balochistan every year and hardly 2,000 of them can secure jobs. That is the reason that the establishment of higher education institutes in Balochistan, in the last decade, has not brought about any meaningful improvement in the socio-economic conditions in the province. People have opportunities to study but they can’t get jobs after completing their studies.

Balochistan is an under-developed province and the sources of livelihood for people are either agriculture or private or government employment.

Fehmida Jamali said water shortages in the province had crippled the agriculture sector and decimated the economic backbone of the rural Balochistan. And this rising unemployment has further exacerbated the economic situation there.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2015

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