QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani has said that with joint efforts of civil and military leadership the sense of deprivation has been removed from the province.

Speaking at a farewell dinner he hosted in honour of outgoing Commander Sou­­th­ern Command Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa, he said that the civil and military leadership had succeeded in convincing the federal government to start mega development schemes in Balochistan.

Governor retired Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai, Deputy Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly Babar Khan Musakhail, opposition leader Malik Sikandar, provincial ministers, MPAs, inspectors general of the Frontier Corps and police and other government officers attended the dinner.

The chief minister said Gen Bajwa had played an important role in restoring peace and by utilising his earnest expertise he paved the way for speedy development in the province.

He said: “Today we are all attending the dinner, leaving behind our political differences because without collective efforts the government cannot provide relief to the people.”

Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Bajwa said that peace had been restored in Balochistan due to joint efforts made by the army, FC, police, Levies and the provincial government.

“Being an institution, Pakistan Army is standing with the provincial government in order to develop Balochistan. I will never forget the respect given to me by the province’s people,” he remarked.

He said Balochistan was the only province in Pakistan without a motorway, but by supporting the provincial government “we succeeded in starting mega development projects, including Quetta-Chaman Highway, Quetta-Karachi National Highway, Special Econo­mic Zone and new Gadani port”.

Lt Gen Bajwa said with the completion of ongoing dev­e­lopment projects Baloc­h­istan would come at par with developed areas of the country.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2019