GWADAR, Nov 17: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that at least 60 terrorist camps have been raided and destroyed in Balochistan. Speaking to Balochistan nazims and notables on Friday, he said terrorists trained at the camps had taken part in anti-state activities like bomb blasts and blowing up of electricity pylons, gas pipelines and railway tracks.

He also spoke about the various development projects being pursued by the government in the province.

He said that the Gwadar port would soon be operational and the government was in the process of selecting a suitable port operator.

He said that an oil refinery would be established in Gwadar where container terminals would also be set up.

He promised that seats would be reserved for students from Balochistan in all educational institutions across the country.

He urged people to elect those who espoused liberal and progressive ideologies. He called upon the masses to reject fundamentalist and backward-looking political parties.

President Musharraf said that the government had set into motion a development programme in Balochistan which, he said, militants armed and funded by the country’s enemies, would not be able to stop.

He said road and rail links would be established between Gwadar and other parts of the country. He added that a 1000-kilometre-long road was being built from Gwadar to Ratodero through Turbat and Khuzdar.

He said an international airport would also be built in Gwadar for which land had already been acquired. He said the foundation-stone of a labour colony had been laid where 100 houses would be built at a cost of Rs400 million.—Agencies