QUETTA: Parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in the Balochistan Assembly Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind has threatened to resign from the post of special assistant to the prime minister on water, power and natural resources (for the province) if he fails to resolve electricity and gas supply issues.

Speaking on a resolution moved by JUI-F MPA Mohammad Asghar Tareen in Balochistan Assembly on Friday on lack of representation of the province in the board of directors of the Quetta Electric Supply Company, Mr Rind said that he was special assistant to the PM only to the extent of a notification issued in this regard, “but in practice I am nothing.”

Mr Rind, who is also education minister in the Balochistan cabinet, said that over the last three years he was never invited to any meeting by the federal power minister or taken into confidence on any issue related to water and power.

Says Centre doesn’t pay heed to his proposals on power, gas supply to Balochistan

Mr Rind criticised the Sui Southern Gas Company and Wapda for “committing atrocities” against the people of Balochistan by depriving them of proper gas and power supply.

He said that the water and power portfolio had been given to a person who was not ready to listen to them on the difficulties being faced the people of Balochistan.

Mr Rind said that he made efforts to find out a solution to gas and electricity supply problem, but the former federal minister for energy and the federal government had given no importance to his efforts.

He said that earlier federal water and power ministry was given to Omer Ayub Khan, who was in the cabinet of the previous PML-N government and joined the PTI just before it formed its government in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2021