GWADAR, March 29: President General Pervez Musharraf said on Wednesday that Rs120 to Rs140 billion was being spent on various mega-projects in Balochistan, including Gwadar port, coastal highway and Mirani dam.

“This will usher in an era of prosperity in the province and people will reap its benefits,” he said while inaugurating the Gwadar Gas Pipeline Pilot Project completed by Sui Southern Gas Company at a cost of Rs100 million.

The president said it was his dream to make Gwadar port one of the most modern ports in the world. “We want to operate this port in the best possible manner. We will select best company in the world to operate this port on most modern lines. Nobody should have any doubt in his mind about this.”

He said the draught of Gwadar port would be raised to 15 metres “making Gwadar port one of the deepest draught ports in the world”.

President Musharraf said: “I am focussing on poverty alleviation and I want to eliminate poverty in the country by increasing employment opportunities. Similarly, I want to control price-hike which is hurting the poor.”

He said provision of electricity, gas and clean drinking water to every Pakistani was also being taken up on priority.

He said jobs would be provided to the people of Gwadar on priority.

“Trust me and remember that whatever I will do will be in your interest. You give me support, I assure you of a better future. Prosperity will come to this province as well as the country,” the president said amid applause.

He called upon people to elect development-friendly and good candidates in the 2007 elections.

He said Pakistan did not possess the expertise to manage the Gwadar port and therefore the government had to hire experts from outside to run it.

He pointed out that foreign investors were showing interest in Gwadar, hotels were coming up and development schemes were taking shape. All these opportunities would go away if this port was not run properly, he observed.

Gen Musharraf said Mirani dam would help rehabilitate 34,000 acres of land in Balochistan and the coastal highway and Ratodero Road would connect the city to the rest of the country and to Afghanistan, Central Asian states and China.

Sardars warned: He said the government was undertaking development projects while few anti-development sardars were firing rockets on him. “They do not want development of people in Balochistan. We will not allow these sardars to hinder development work in Balochistan.”

He pointed out that there were only two to three sardars who had kept the province hostage for the past 40 years, but “we would not let them do it again”.

He said these sardars had created their own army, killed their own people, fired rockets, blown up railway lines and opposed development.

“They blackmail people and hinder development activities in the province. They do not want Gwadar port.”

The president said that Akbar Bugti had killed his tribesmen and expelled his own brother. His Rahija sub-tribe had been forced to leave their area and settle in Punjab and Sindh.

He said this sardar got millions in the past from PPL, purchased weapons, created his own private militia and lived lavishly in Karachi. But from now onwards he would not be able to expel the poor tribesmen, the president said, adding that Kalpars, Missoris and Rahijas were coming back to their homes in Sui, Baiker and Dera Bugti and the government would help in their rehabilitation and compensate them.

Similarly, he said, a Marri sardar took over coalmines near Quetta by force and killed opponents. They will not be able to repeat these crimes, he added.

President Musharraf said that people of Balochistan needed development and progress in their province and held out the assurance that the government would ensure continuation of the development process.

“I know how to face such elements and how to stop them from hindering development process in the province. I will do it and accomplish the development task,” he declared.

The governor and chief minister of Balochistan and ministers attended the ceremony.—APP