QUETTA: The Balochistan coalition government is making earnest efforts by utilising every possible opportunity to encourage maximum foreign and local investment in the province through promoting public-private partnership.

This was said by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani while speaking at the International Youth Summit here on Saturday. Youth delegations from Russia, the United States, Brazil, Tunis, Hong Kong, Nepal, Afghanistan, Jordan and other countries, besides Pakistan, participated in the event.

“A majority of Balochistan’s population comprises youth who need guidance for their future planning,” Mr Alyani said, adding that it was need of the hour to provide them proper guideline and counselling through a well-defined mechanism.

The chief minister said that his government had launched new programmes for technical training and skills enhancement of the youth to provide quality human resources to different sectors of production. Skilled youth would utilise their skills for betterment of the society, province and country as well, he added.

Soft loans for youths on the cards, Alyani tells youth summit

CM Alyani said his government was also utilising resources available to it to bring in progressive and positive changes in the infrastructure and government machinery.

“Balochistan occupies over 43 per cent of Pakistan’s area, has boundaries with Afghanistan and Iran and is spread up to the Arabian Sea. Like its vast and gigantic land mass, its culture, heritage, history, literature, folklore, traditions, tribal customs and values and civilisation are very unique and exceptional” he told the participants of the summit.

Youths attending the summit asked questions on women empowerment and opportunities for their growth, social and financial sectors, challenges to health and environment, global hazards, jobs and employment opportunities, development programmes, targets of sustainable development and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

Mr Alyani replied each question in detail. He said that previously Balochistan had faced tremendous financial problems and, as a result, his government also had to confront financial constrains.

To overcome financial constraints and to provide better employment opportunities to the youth, he said, the government was working on public-private partnership projects and also planning to provide soft loans to the youth through micro financing. The Balochistan cabinet has approved the plan, he said.

The CM said that the government was also paying attention to higher education and consequently the number of universities in Balochistan had increased as compared to the past.

To overcome challenges of energy and power shortages, the government is working on alternative energy sources, particularly solar power, he added.

Like any other region of the world, Balochistan was also bearing the impact of global warming, Mr Alyani said, adding that to provide better environment and clean and green atmosphere for future generations, the Billion Tree Tsunami programme had also been launched in the province.

Talking about the Balochistan Public Endowment Fund, he said that through this initiative, medical treatment was being provided to the people suffering from cancer, heart, kidney and other chronic diseases. International donor agencies working in health sector had also expended their working areas throughout the province, he added.

“The prime focus of the government of Balochistan is on good governance. Progressive changes and reforms are being introduced in basic infrastructure, urban planning, master planning for big cities, education, health and administration and management sectors,” the CM said.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2019