• Urges unity to elevate Pakistan to the level envisioned by Quaid-i-Azam, Allama Iqbal
• Inaugurates 21 Nadra centres, six mobile registration vehicles in Balochistan

QUETTA: As the nation grapples with the scourge of terrorism and militant attacks with alarming frequency, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has declared that there is no room for violence in the country, and the notion of disgruntled individuals holds no significance.

“Pakistan will emerge as the fortress of Islamic nations, where every individual can live a peaceful and prosperous life,” he said while addressing a flag-hoisting ceremony at the Balochistan Assem­bly’s lawn on Wednesday.

Senator Ishaq Dar, who also holds the foreign affairs portfolio, urged the nation to come together in unity to elevate Pakistan to the level envisioned by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal. “The people of this country have a great spirit, but unfortunately, just when Pakistan was making progress, it was dragged down,” he observed.

He claimed that Pakistan had become the world’s 24th largest economy in 2017, gaining global recognition, adding that Pakistan’s stock exchange had become the number one in South Asia and the fifth globally.

“Pakistan is a country blessed by Allah with countless resources. People talk about Pakistan having a debt of $130 billion, but I say that Allah has endowed Pakistan with over $10 trillion worth of minerals,” he added.

He said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had initiated the process to make Pakistan a nuclear power, and Allah granted Nawaz Sharif the honour of realising that dream. “Now, Pakistan needs to become an economic power alongside its nuclear status,” he said, adding: “For this, we need unity and cohesion to achieve what Allah has destined for us.”

Endorsing the statement of the chief minister, Mr Dar acknowledged that Balochistan was left behind in development, and now “we must work for its progress”. Recalling the vision of the incumbent government, he vowed to continue Pakis­tan’s journey towards inclusion in the G20.

The flag-hoisting ceremony was attended by National Assembly Speak­­er Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, federal Minister for Trade and Commerce Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, provincial ministers, MPAs and civil and military leadership.

They also participated in a grand ceremony held at Bugti Stadium in Quetta on Tuesday night to mark the 78th Independence Day.

The Independence Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm across Balochistan, including the provincial capital, with a renewed vow to transform Pakistan into a developed, prosperous, and economically and politically stable nation on the global stage.

The government and private organisations held national flag hoisting ceremonies in Quetta and other cities and towns across the province, including the Quaid-i-Azam Residency in Ziarat, which drew large crowds of people from all walks of life.

Nadra registration centres

The deputy prime minister, who arrived in Quetta the other day, also inaugurated 21 new Nadra registration centres and six mobile registration vehicles in Balochistan at a ceremony held at the CM Secretariat. He directed the federal institutions to fully cooperate with the provincial government in providing services to the remote areas of Balochistan.

On the occasion, CM Sarfraz Bugti expressed the hope that the establishment of new registration centers in 21 tehsils would facilitate the public in getting registration and obtaining identity cards in remote areas of the province.

The deputy PM also met PML-N parliamentarians at the Governor House.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2024