Criticising some political leaders for creating hurdles in the way of development, Prime Minister Sharif said: “While our enemies are trying to sabotage our projects, people can now decide for themselves as to who is serving the country and who is just inciting hate and playing with emotions.
“Pakistanis are a cultured nation and have great moral values. Those who ruin the norms are responsible for spoiling generations and history calls them a disgrace to their ancestors.”
Mr Sharif said a number of development projects were under way in Balochistan, expressing the hope that on completion these projects would transform the quality of life in the province.
“Development of Balochistan is not a favour; it is the right of the Baloch people,” he added.
Referring to the road network in Makran, he said the road would connect the Gwadar port with China and generate job opportunities. “This will help fight poverty and unemployment in the province.”
The premier said completion of every road in Balochistan would contribute to improving the infrastructure.
Mr Sharif praised the workers and personnel of FWO who lost their lives during the construction of Turbat-Hoshab-Sorab road, adding that their sacrifices would be remembered forever.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri thanked PM Nawaz Sharif for making the uplift of the province a priority. “The development of Balochistan is a part of the PML-N’s manifesto,” he added.
Lt Gen Mohammad Afzal, the Frontier Works director general, said the Sorab-Hoshab road project was a manifestation of the determination of the federal and Balochistan governments, the FWO, the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the local administration.
Outlining the project’s salient features, the FWO chief said although work had started way back in Sept 2007, shortage of funds and deterioration in the law and order situation kept the project in abeyance for seven years. Work resumed only in 2014.
The deadline was revised from five years and six months to two years and three months.
Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2016