QUETTA: United Nations Resident Coordinator Julien Harneis has said that $10 million will be spent on nutrition and food security in Balochistan to reduce the impact of drought and Covid-19 on the people of Balochistan. This is a short-term strategy meant to support the people for the next one year, he told Dawn.

The UN resident coordi­na­tor visited Chagai, Nushki and Dalbandin on Thursday and met people of different communities and discussed issues faced by them in remote areas of the province.

Under the long-term programme, the European Union and the FAO have also launched a programme to support and promote agriculture and livestock sectors in Balochistan.

“Depleting water table in Chagai and Dalbandin is worrying and we will extend all possible help to the Balochistan government to overcome this problem,” he said.

Mr Harneis said the Pakistan government deserved to be appreciated for fencing the border with Afghanistan, but this had created economic problems for the people living on both sides of the border.

“Through the $10 million programme, we will also support some targeted communities living in bordering areas of Afghanistan,” he said.

Mr Harneis pinned high hopes on return of peace to Afghanistan and said it would have far-reaching impact on development and progress in Pakistan and Central Asian States.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2020