Speaking at a big public meeting at the Ayub Stadium here on Friday afternoon, Gen Musharraf said his government helped the people of Balochistan overcome the after-effects of prolonged drought by launching various development schemes.
He said 2,500 schemes costing over Rs3 billion were launched to rehabilitate the drought-affected people. “More than 200,000 people got jobs under these schemes,” the President said.
Similarly, he added, the provincial government built 2,000km-long roads in two years as compared to just 340km-long roads built during the past five years prior to the present government.
The President said the Bolan Medical College Hospital, the only teaching hospital in the province, had been upgraded to a 750-bed hospital. The Quetta TB Sanitarium had also been converted into a general hospital for the benefit of the local people, he said.
Some 34 small and medium-size dams had been built to strengthen water resources for irrigation, he added.
The President said the provincial government was spending 25 per cent of the budget on promotion of education, which showed its sincerity in removing illiteracy from the province.
About future projects, Gen Musharraf announced that 200 villages of the province would get electricity during the current fiscal year.
“The cost of electrification will be borne by the provincial government while Wapda would ensure that people get power supply as soon as possible,” the President said.
The President said electricity to the Mekran coast was being provided for the first time in 40 years. A big power house had been established at Panjgur, power was being supplied to Gwadar and other coastal towns through a grid system, while four grid stations at Khoshab, Khad Kocha, Baghbana and Chaman were set up ensuring a stable power supply, Gen Musharraf said.
“Kachhi Canal, a project to cost over Rs44 billion, will be inaugurated within the next two months,” he said. “I will personally come to Balochistan to inaugurate this project also. It will help irrigate over 0.5 million acres of highly fertile land. Work is also in progress on Mirani dam in Mekran at a cost of over Rs7.5 billion,” the President said. He said the Gwadar port would be completed at a cost of over Rs15 billion in three years’ time. He said the project would bring about real revolution on economic front. Besides, Coastal Highway is also being built linking Gwadar with Karachi.
Similarly, the Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan Road was also being built and a major dam would be constructed in Zhob district, the President informed the gathering.
Gen Musharraf said 3,000 tubewells would be installed in the province by October to overcome the ill-effects of drought.
On the occasion, the President asked Wapda and the power distribution company to charge flat rate of Rs4000 per month from farmers and growers.
The additional cost of electricity would be borne by the Wapda and the Balochistan government, the President told the cheering crowd amid applause.
Gen Musharraf said his government would soon be launching the Reko Dik project, a huge mining project bigger than the Saindak Copper and Gold project, to give a boost to the economic development of Balochistan. “Billions will be invested on this project by a foreign company exploiting copper and gold reserves in the neighbourhood of Saindak,” he added.
The President said that Kalat, Ziarat and Qila Abdullah would get natural gas connection soon.
He said local people would be recruited in the Frontier Corps and Pakistan Coast Guards. More than 50 officers have already been selected and recruited by the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, he added.
He said he would personally look into the cases of Sui gas company and Saindak employees sacked or removed from services. He assured that justice would be done to them.