ALMOST a year ago, the government had announced about Rs600b development package for Southern Balochistan with the aim to improve living standards of the local people.
The announcement was much appreciated yet unfortunately there has been no significant progress on the implementation of this package.
Chairing a high level meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan also took notice and expressed serious concerns over slow pace of work on development projects in the region and directed relevant ministries and Balochistan government to work in close coordination to accelerate pace of work on transport, energy and infrastructure projects under the package.
Southern Balochistan in one of the most impoverished area of the country and people there are deprived of basic amenities.
Though agriculture is one of the most important sources of livelihoods for locals, yet they are faced with severe water shortages while about ten to twelve percent of the population has electricity.
In this backdrop, one may gauge well as to what will be the situation of education and health facilities there.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has repeatedly stressed for uplifting backward areas of the country and under same vision, this package for Southern Balochistan was announced.
Hence, it is important that funds should be released in a timely manner so that planned projects including those related to construction of dams as well as health and education facilities should be completed in given timeframe.
Uplifting Balochistan is of dire importance to uplift the entire country. It is only by addressing grievances of Baloch people that potential in natural resources can be fully exploited for benefit of whole country.
Similarly, the Prime Minister should review implementation status of packages announced for Karachi and Interior Sindh in order to speed-up work on them as well.
