QUETTA: The parliamentary group of the ruling Balo­chistan Awami Party (BAP) in Balochistan has decided to abandon all unapproved development sche­mes in the Public Sector Dev­e­lopment Programme (PSDP) 2018-19 and also those approved schemes on which less than 30 per cent progress has so far been made.

A meeting of the group presided over by Chief Minister Jam Mir Kamal Khan Alyani here on Monday discussed various issues regarding implementation on development projects.

Informing party legislators about the fiscal position of the province, the chief minister said that Balochistan was facing a serious financial crisis. It could further worsen if corrective measures were not taken, he added.

Province’s ruling party decides to abandon unapproved development schemes

Sources said that the meeting was informed that the next few months would be critical for Balochistan because the federal government had not released the province’s due share in national resources.

A senior official told Dawn that at present Balochistan was facing a deficit of Rs60 billion. Financial managers of the province had no other option but to run its affairs by getting overdraft from the State Bank of Pakistan, he added.

The sources said the meeting had decided that all available resources would be utilised for the development of the province and for the provision of facilities to its people which they expect from the new government.

The meeting also discussed the issue of unemployment in the province and promotions, transfers and postings in government departments. It was decided that all those appointments which were made in violation of rules and regulations would be reviewed.

The meeting was informed that most of jobs in the Shadi-Kour dam project in Pasni were provided to people who were not residents of Balochistan which created resentment among local people. It was decided that those appointments which were made in violation of rules would be cancelled and that local people would be accommodated in the project.

The meeting also decided that the six-party coalition in Balochistan would field a unanimous candidate in the election for a vacant seat of Senate in the province and that the candidate would be decided after consultation with leaders of allied parties.

Another important decision taken at the meeting was establishment of a ‘Mini Balochistan secretariat’ in Islamabad to monitor Islamabad-related affairs of the province.

The chief minister urged members of all the coalition parties to regularly visit their constituencies and put forth proposals for the solution of people’s problems, such lack of education and health facilities and shortage of drinking water. He also urged them to supervise work on development projects in their areas.

He said performance of police and Levies force should be improved to provide relief to people and urged the legislators to come up with proposals in this regard.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2018