QUETTA: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Saturday said that maintaining a secure environment in the country is among the top priorities of the interim government.

Presiding over a meeting on the law and order situation in the country, especially Balochistan, PM Kakar called for improving the legislative framework with regard to strengthening the state response to security-related matters.

The remarks came after the premier was briefed on the situation prevailing in the country and informed about the measures taken by Balochistan’s interim government for maintaining peace and order in the province.

He lauded the role of Balochistan’s government and the law enforcement agencies for maintaining law and order in the province.

Says legislative framework needs to be bettered for strengthening state response to threats; pledges Balochistan’s uplift

At the meeting — attended, among others, by caretaker ministers Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti, Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Sami Saeed and inte­rim Chief Minister Ali Mardan Dom­­ki — the prime minister pled­ged that people would be provided with financial and economic opportunities at the federal and provincial levels. He said that an effective utilisation of resources and formulation of an innovative strategy was indispensable to achieve these goals.

Employment opportunities

Addressing another meeting that reviewed development projects in the province, the interim PM underlined the need for creation of jobs and livelihood opportunities for the people of Balochistan through an effective strategy.

As Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan briefed about progress on various ongoing projects, PM Kakar directed for keeping a balance between the budget and expenditures through a better mechanism.

He observed that the immense potential in minerals’ mining could be utilised to strengthen the country’s economy.

“Mineral resources in the province could be fully tapped in the presence of effective communication infrastructure in those mineral-rich areas,” he remarked.

Balochistan Governor Malik Abdul Wali Kakar also called on the prime minister and discussed various issues.

During another meeting, the interim premier said that despite economic difficulties all assistance would be provided for the completion of irrigation projects.

The meeting was briefed on the ongoing projects of Kachhi Canal, Pat Feeder Canal, Awaran Dam, Gashkor Dam and Winder Dam.

Mr Kakar said Balochistan had huge potential for agricultural development but unfortunately the province could not take full advantage of this. He said issues related to supply of drinking water should be resolved on a priority basis.

He said inter-provincial concerns regarding irrigation would be removed so that the country could make progress speedily and the federation could get stronger.

Besides, PM Kakar directed the National Highway Authority to complete the reconstruction of the Pinjra bridge as soon as possible so that citizens travelling from Quetta to Jacobabad could be facilitated, adds APP.

Student delegation

Talking to a delegation from Harvard University, PM Kakar said the interim government would focus more on rationalising the expenditures, revenue generation and deve­lopment of human resources during its short constitutional period.

He said about 9pc of Pakistan’s population was contributing towards GDP with their taxes. “How to bring the undocumented economy and people in the tax net and how to invest in the human resources would be broadly focused during the short period of the caretaker government,” he said.

He said Pakistan is a country of talented people and the government was paying attention to producing a high-tech educated and skilled human resource.

“Pakistani diaspora in the US is a success story itself,” he pointed out, adding that Americans knew the Pakistanis who were contributing to their society.

Responding to a question, the prime minister said Pakistan had been the biggest victim of climate disaster which was a global issue. Climate change has become an existential threat, he added.

He noted that the world views the US as a big power but at the same time, expects it to turn itself into a green power.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2023