QUETTA: The Balochistan government has decided to establish an elite force comprising 1,000 personnel to combat terrorism and curb crimes in the province.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri on Tuesday.

Inspector General of Balochistan Police Moazzam Jah Ansari briefed the meeting on the purpose of the elite force, saying that it would improve the efficiency of the regular police in combating violent crimes, including acts of terrorism.

He said the government had already started training of the police force for improving their skills, adding that the force would be provided with modern weapons, better equipment and vehicles. The project, IG Ansari said, would cost around Rs478 million.

More than 500 police personnel had already been trained at the police training centre, he told the meeting.

During the meeting, the cabinet approved a proposal to form an assessment and examination commission in this regard.

The cabinet laid greater emphasis on early completion of PC-I of all projects and release of funds by the finance department for all those schemes approved under the PSDP or the MPAs development fund.

An official of the Sui Southern Gas also briefed the cabinet on the Rs15 billion projects to extend liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) facilities to 29 townships. He told the cabinet that tenders had already been floated to establish LPG plants at 10 townships of the total 29 plants.

He said the 10 LPG plants would be completed in next six months.

Later on, a QESCO (Quetta Electric Supply Company) official briefed the cabinet on the provision of electricity to far-flung areas of Balochistan. Majority of Cabinet members expressed displeasure over inordinate delay in implementing power projects in the province.

The cabinet issued instructions to the QESCO for early completion of power projects.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2017