QUETTA: Former chief minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani has said that Balochistan is not facing any financial crisis as around Rs50 billion is still in the government treasury and financial position of the province is stable.

He said the people should not be demoralised even though a wrong impression is being created about the financial position of the province. The former chief minister was talking to newsmen in Hub.

He said that Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo might not know the actual amounts in the government treasury as he had only recently joined the government.

He said that funds were available even in the last days of his government through which disbursements were made under the heads of PSDP, salary and others.

Mr Alyani said it was the right of the people to know about the available funds as his government had passed the Access to Information Act.

He said it was the responsibility of the finance department and the AG’s office to inform the people of the actual financial position of the provincial government.

“A financial crisis does not happen suddenly,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that if there was record collection of revenue, then the revenue of Balochistan would also be increased, which needed to be worked on.

“I have good wishes for the new government,” Mr Alyani said, adding that the process of formation of the cabinet should be completed soon so that the issues the province faced could be addressed as soon as possible.

He denied reports that he is joining the Pakistan Peoples Party and said: “We are members of the Balochistan Awami Party. We will remain the same and will work within the party.”

“We will carry out our responsibilities. The Balochistan Awami Party has done a lot of work within the government and the party for three and a half years,” the former CM added.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2021