QUETTA: Balochistan has been braving a grave financial crisis for a long time, something that has only aggravated since the devastating floods wreaked havoc on the province earlier this year, Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo said on Saturday, highlighting the need for more and immediate funds from the centre.

Speaking to the media in Quetta, Mr Bizenjo said immediate steps were needed to help his province and a new National Finance Commission (NFC) award was the need of the hour to resolve the ongoing financial crisis.

He said Balochistan suffered heavy financial losses in the wake of rain-induced flooding, which also caused human losses, drove tens of thousands of families from their homes and damaged agriculture, education and health sectors.

He said that despite facing huge losses and a financial crisis, the provincial government tried its best to rely on its available resources to rehabilitate the flood-stricken people.

Insists provinces should get share in federal resources as per Constitution

Now, it had taken up the issue of financial crunch with the federal government and demanded that its share in federal resources should be provided as projected under the NFC award.

“I will meet the prime minister very soon along with parliamentary leaders of Balochistan’s political parties to find a permanent solution to the financial issues faced by the province,” Mr Bizenjo said, adding that the entire political leadership must be united irrespective of their affiliation to end Balochistan’s woes.

The chief minister said that a new NFC award was the need of the hour in which the provinces could get their share in federal resources according to the Constitution.

He said after taking up the government, he presented a balanced budget with consensus “even though the treasury was empty”.

“We made efforts to generate our revenues by taking effective measures,” he said, adding that he had taken the provincial assembly into confidence over the financial crisis and the Reko Diq project agreement.

Replying to a question about the 18th constitutional amendment, Mr Bizenjo said that despite many pressures, “we have not compromised on powers given to the provinces and defended its rights”.

He said the government would not leave the flood-affected people alone and take all possible steps to build their homes and provide them with other relief measures.

“We do not want people to distribute sweets when we leave power. We want them to say goodbye and remember us when we are not at the helm,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2022