QUETTA: Caretaker Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai has said that out of 250 madressahs in the province, 84 are being run by Afghan refugee clerics and around 8,500 students were studying there.

“These 84 madressahs will be handed over to the local ulema for running them as the government has no plan to close these seminaries,” he said on Wednesday at a joint press conference with caretaker Home Minister Mir Zubair Ahmed Jamali and Agriculture Minister Sardar Asif Dummar.

The information minister said the process of sending back illegal immigrants would be accelerated, but the Afghan refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the National Database and Registration Authority could stay in Pakistan.

He said the provincial apex committee had in its meeting on Tuesday also attended by the army chief, decided to launch an investigation into ghost development projects, fake employees and corruption in different sectors committed during the last 10 years to make Balochistan a corruption-free province. The corruption officials would be brought to justice, he added.

“Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki has already ordered a probe into the development funds spent during the last 10 years,” Mr Achakzai said, adding that it was decided that all government lands would be reclaimed from the mafia. They would be arrested and their cases would be sent to National Accountability Bureau.

He said that in the apex committee meeting, there was a determination from the caretaker government and, most importantly, the chief of the army staff, to eradicate corruption from society. “Those involved in corruption will be made an example of, and they will have no place to hide. The entire government stands firmly with the determination of the army chief in this regard,” he said.

“The COAS mentioned that corruption has entered our DNA and is more dangerous than terrorism, which is why it is essential to get rid of this curse,” Mr Achakzai added.

He said the apex committee had given a 10-day ultimatum to those involved in oil smuggling.

After the deadline, he added, the ships engaged in oil smuggling would be destroyed.

Currently, he said, 85 per cent of Iranian oil smuggling is taking place through sea routes, with the number of ships increasing from 600 to 3,000.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2023