QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani has said that previous governments and rulers always played with sentiments of the people of Balochistan as they did nothing for the development of the province.

Speaking at a gathering of tribal elders of southern districts in Turbat on Friday, he said the rulers in the past ign­ored the province in the China-Pakistan Economic Cor­r­idor (CPEC) despite knowing that the mega project was launched due to Gwadar port.

The chief minister said that Balochistan was deprived of its share in the first phase of CPEC and no significant project was lau­nched in the province, while Metro Bus, Orange Train and mot­or­way projects were completed in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said now the federal and provincial governments would jointly launch mega development projects in Balochistan to bring it at par with other provinces of the country.

Prime Minister Imran Khan was present on the occasion, while Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umer and Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal also spoke on the occasion.

Mr Umer briefed the prime minister about the development package for southern Balochistan and the projects included in it.

Mr Alyani said education, health, roads, electricity and employment were the things that Balochistan needed most today.

“The provincial and federal governments are making efforts to remove the sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan.

“I am thankful to the chief minister of Punjab who has announced Rs750 million for Turbat,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2020