DERA GHAZI KHAN, July 20: The government has restored peace to Balochistan and spending Rs140 billion for development in the current budget beside recruiting 30,000 Balochs in different departments.

This was stated here on Thursday by Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool at an open kutchery. He reached here on a one-day official visit to take stock of performance of the government departments and to assess the mood of the people.

During his speech at the open kutchery at Circuit House, he praised the ordinance for the release of women prisoners.

He said the government had spent Rs100 million on the building of Agriculture College while Rs250 million more would be provided for the project.

He claimed that the work on Daat Wali bridge would be initiated within 15 days. New settlements around the city would get gas connection soon. He said women in the district had obtained loans worth Rs8.2 million from Agriculture Bank while Khushali Bank had given loans worth Rs500 million to the women.

On electrification of villages, the governor expressed the hope that 725 schemes would soon be completed. He said the government had allocated a huge sum for drinking water and sewerage system in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Later, he visited the Agriculture Bank, Khushali Bank and MEPCO. He was briefed on Nadra and Sui Gas department at MEPCO office.

Tehsil nazim Mahmood Qadir Leghari, who came to meet the governor at his own, told him that he (tehsil nazim) was not invited to attend meetings.