ISLAMABAD: Acting President Sadiq Sanjrani has said he will talk to the Chinese leadership about granting scholarships to at least 300 students of Balochistan.

Mr Sanjrani was speaking to a 100-member delegation of students from seven districts of Balochistan at the Parliament House on Saturday.

“I will take every possible step to bring the students of Balochistan at par with other students of the country. The Saudi government has also sought details of 50 to 60 students in terms of scholarships and higher education,” said Mr Sanjrani, according to an official handout issued by the Senate Secretariat.

“Steps are being taken to promote education in Balochistan and soon universities will be set up in Chaghi and Gwadar,” he said.

To questions regarding power outages and water issues, Mr Sanjrani assured the delegation that a permanent solution to electricity and water would be sorted out in a year.

He apprised the students about the consultations on the electricity and water issues with the newly-elected president of Iran during his recent visit. He said six trade routes on the border had also been identified during the meeting with the president of Iran. “Development of Gwadar is imperative for the prosperity of the country. People from all over the country would come to Balochistan, and this province will be at the forefront in coming days,” he maintained.

Mr Sanjrani said the development of the country was interlinked with Gwadar. He said the completion of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects would bring development and prosperity to Balochistan and the whole nation.

Mr Sanjarani said full utilisation of natural resources and promoting education was essential for the development and prosperity of Balochistan. He said Balochistan was rich in natural resources, and the people, especially the educated youth, could benefit from CPEC projects.

He said Balochistan had vast investment opportunities, and efforts should also be made for enhancing trade and investment in the province.

Replying to a question, he said with a cost of Rs18 billion Gwadar would soon be connected to the national grid. Furthermore, he said, with the installation of a 50MW solar plant, the electricity requirement of one district could be met. For the permanent solution of the water issue, a plan would be put in place to desalinate salted water, he said.

“There are vast opportunities to generate electricity from alternative sources in the province,” he added.

Talking about the employment opportunities in Gwadar, Mr Sanjrani said companies operating in Gwadar had vast employment opportunities which should be taken advantage of. He said the students of Balochistan should also learn from the expertise of those who were already working in Gwadar. He said the youth population in Balochistan comprised 1.1 million, and if these young people were provided with adequate education and facilities, they could play a vital role in the country’s development. He maintained that the issues would also be taken up with the government of Balochistan, and every possible step would be taken for the promotion of trade, investment and completion of projects in the province.

Mr Sanjrani also cut a cake to commemorate the Independence Day.

The students’ delegation also visited the Senate Museum and Senate Hall.

Published in Dawn, August 15th , 2021