GWADAR, Sept 17: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Saturday that the federal government was spending a record Rs134 billion for development of Balochistan. “This has never happened before in the history of Balochistan,” the prime minister said while speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Gwadar Port Civic Centre.

He said that Rs21 billion had been allocated for the province under the current year’s annual development programme, which is about 10.5 per cent of the total outlay. He pointed out that the allocation was more than the share of Balochistan in terms of the population ratio to other provinces.

He said the coastal highway had been completed and added that mega-projects had brought about a change in the lifestyle of the people of Gwadar during the past four years.

Anybody spreading negative propaganda would be defeated in his attempts as people wanted to see development and a better life rather than hollow slogans, he said.

Mr Aziz said the government wanted to convert Gwadar into a modern city equipped with all facilities and resorts to attract tourists.

He said the Gwadar port would generate economic activity in the area, adding that a road network would connect the town with Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia as the most important route in the region for transportation.

He said a modern airport would be built at Gwadar and the existing one would be renovated. He said the first flight of Pakistan International Airlines’ new ATR aircraft, replacing Fokkers, would land at the Gwadar airport. “I have asked PIA to use this new aircraft on the Karachi-Gwadar route,” he announced amid applause.

The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) has been asked to make this port operational, he said.

He advised the people of Balochistan to welcome investment in Gwadar. “The world has changed. This is the era of globalization and you must welcome investors in Gwadar.”

Citing example of Dubai, the prime minister said investors could freely set up a factory or buy property there and Gwadar should also open up for such investment. “Whoever talks against this approach is not a friend of the people of Gwadar and Pakistan.”

He said the government was also working on a project to attract tourists to Gwadar. He said hotels were coming up very fast in Gwadar.

Addressing opposition Senator Ismail Buledi on the occasion, the prime minister said in a lighter vein that opposition also supported the government’s good work. He said that opposition should make positive criticism and help the government in redressal of problems.

He said the government wanted to set up an oil refinery at Gwadar aimed at contributing to supplies in the region.

He asked the Balochistan government to improve its performance and ‘bring in more transparency in its working’.

He directed the GPA to complete construction of civic centre within 18 months. He said the GPA would carry out the construction work on its own and would not get it done on the BOT (built, operate and transfer) basis.

The prime minister announced the establishment a utility store in Gwadar and said it would start functioning before the advent of Ramazan.

He said that 500 out of 1,000 houses would be given to fishermen in the housing scheme at the Sur Bandar area.

Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, Port and Shipping Minister Babar Khan Ghauri and Social Welfare and Special Education Minister Zubaida Jalal were present.—APP