QUETTA: The Balochis­tan government will boycott a meeting of the National Economic Committee scheduled for today (Tuesday) to protest the federal government’s “non-cooperative attitude” towards the province, Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo said on Monday.

“I and none of the NEC members from Balochistan will attend the meeting as Islamabad is continuously ignoring the needs and financial demands of the province,” Mr Bizenjo said.

He had hinted at skipping the NEC meeting through a policy statement on Sunday. The statement accused Islamabad of a “discriminatory attitude” as it was “denying the constitutional rights” of the people of Balochistan.

Mr Bizenjo said the federal government had not fulfilled any of the promises made to the province.

He said whenever the province’s plight was pointed out to Islamabad, assurances followed but no action.

“In spite of the precarious financial situation, the provincial government has taken steps for rehabilitation of flood-stricken people by utilising its limited resources.”

Uplift schemes

Mr Bizenjo said development schemes proposed by Balochistan’s MNAs and senators should be made part of the federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) as the provincial government did not have enough funds for the purpose.

“Schemes which benefit only a few people should not be made part of the next budget.” He said members of the Balochistan Assembly were not in favour of including schemes proposed by MNAs and senators in the provincial PSDP.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Moving forward
Updated 29 Sep, 2023

Moving forward

It is hoped that the ECP followed the set rules diligently while demarcating constituency boundaries.
Pipeline in stasis
Updated 30 Sep, 2023

Pipeline in stasis

If finding dollars to fund the scheme is difficult, alternative currencies can be used.
Playing in India
Updated 29 Sep, 2023

Playing in India

WITH visa issues resolved, and after slight alterations in travel plans, Pakistan’s cricket team finally touched...
Accruing more debt
Updated 28 Sep, 2023

Accruing more debt

We are in midst of the worst, longest economic crisis because of lavish lifestyles of powerful interests.
Israeli normalisation
28 Sep, 2023

Israeli normalisation

OVER the past few weeks, there have been many reports prophesising the impending normalisation of ties between Saudi...
Kandhkot tragedy
28 Sep, 2023

Kandhkot tragedy

THE tragic incident that unfolded yesterday in Sindh’s Kandhkot tehsil, leading to the deaths of at least nine...