QUETTA: Announcing the land lease policy of the Balochistan government for foreign investors after a two-day cabinet meeting, Balochistan Information Minister Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi said that the provincial government had decided to allot land to foreign investors in the province on the basis of lease for a certain period instead of granting them the ownership rights.

The duration of the lease would be decided later by the government.

Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday, the minister said that the cabinet noted that existing land lease policy did not mention anything about land lease to foreign investors and foreign companies and it was, therefore, decided that from now onward the land allotment to foreign investors and companies would be made on the basis of lease.

“The ownership rights of the leased land to foreign investors and companies will remain with citizens of Pakistan and competent authority,” Mr Buledi said, adding that cabinet had also decided to form an allotment committee for the purpose.

Ownership rights of the property will remain with citizens of Pakistan and competent authority

The minister said that the cabinet had also decided to start new recruitments against vacant posts in different government departments and directed all departments concerned to launch the process of filling vacant posts.

The cabinet asked the unemployed educated youth to apply against vacant posts in different government departments with confidence as all appointments would be made against all posts purely on the basis of merit.

He said that the cabinet had also approved some important amendments to the Balochistan Public Service Commission regulation under which the number of members of the commission would be enhanced up to 12, including the chairman.

Two women will also be made members of the commission.

“Fifty per cent members of the commission will be retired grade 20 and above administrative secretaries and retired judges while the rest will be from private and government sectors and retired educationists,” Mr Buledi said.

He said that for selection of the chairman and members of the commission, a board, headed by chief secretary, would be set up and that the board would send three names for the post of each member to the chief minister who would send the names to the governor with his recommendation for the appointment.

He said the government had decided to set up a bank of the province named Balochistan Bank and this bank would create about 1500 new jobs for the youth of the province besides generating a revenue of Rs1.5 billion.

Provincial ministers Mir Saleem Ahmed Khosa, Mir Arif Jan Muhammad Hasni and Sardar Abdul Rehman Khatiran were present at the press conference.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018