QUETTA, Dec 5: Governor Owais Ghani said on Saturday the federal government would soon resolve the gas royalty issue to enhance the revenue of the province for utilization in the development sector.

He was speaking at a dinner hosted by him in honour of PFUJ and Apnec leaders and delegates. The governor said the provincial government's demand to increase the Balochistan gas rate to make it equitable to that of gas in other provinces was under consideration.

Mr Ghani asserted that the province was rich in resources and proper planning would help in its rapid progress. Referring to the decrease in the underground water level, the governor said the government would construct dams to store flood water.

He said the government was giving special priority to education sector and added that the province had only one university till 2000 but now it had four universities and all facilities were provided to students in these institutions.

Balochistan Assembly Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar, talking to the visiting journalists, at a lunch hosted by him in their honour on Sunday said the media played a vital role in society.

He called for exploration of provincial resources and their utilization for the betterment of the people in the far-flung areas of Balochistan. Pakistan Workers Party President Nasrullah Khan Kakar, at a reception arranged for the visiting journalists, criticized the anti-progress elements who were creating obstruction in the uplift programme.

PFUJ President Ahfazur Rehman, highlighting the struggle of the journalists and press workers, demanded the implementation of the Seventh Wage Board Award.