QUETTA:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said he is willing to sit across the table with “those who have been misled … who have been led astray” in Balochistan, as he pledged to deliver “social and economic justice” to the people of the province, which has been trapped in a spiral of deadly violence since 2006.
“We must strive to win back the people who were misled [by terrorists] onto the wrong track. If there are any grievances, they should be resolved through dialogue in the spirit of brotherhood,” he said, referring to chronic concerns in the dirt-poor province that have been exploited by Baloch terrorist groups to promote their violent narrative.
The prime minister was addressing a grand jirga in Quetta on Saturday, which brought together tribal elders, lawmakers and key stakeholders for consultations focused on security and development.
Field Marshal Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir, Balochistan’s Acting Governor Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti and high-ranking military and civil officials were also present.
Expressing gratitude for the warm welcome he received, the prime minister described Balochistan as “a beautiful province of brave people and the heart of Pakistan”.
Terrorist violence has surged in recent months, which civil and military officials have attributed to Indian interference. “The bloodthirsty terrorists, who are against the progress and prosperity of Pakistan, are carrying out heinous acts of terrorism at the behest of foreign elements,” the premier said, alluding to India.
“They must be stopped. We all must defeat their nefarious designs. If there are shortcomings in our response, these could be addressed with your guidance,” he told the jirga participants.
He reiterated that “all provinces are like brothers and will equally share the resources of the country,” adding that the federal government was allocating Rs70 billion for a solarisation project in Balochistan.
Similarly, Rs150 billion will be directed towards the construction of the N-25 highway, commonly referred to as the “bloody highway” due to its perilous condition. The funds will be drawn from the amount being saved after the drop in international petroleum prices.
The prime minister further announced that Rs1,000 billion will be allocated to the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) this year, with 25 per cent — or Rs250 billion — earmarked for Balochistan.
He assured that every penny of the share, which he termed the “right of the people of Balochistan,” would be spent transparently for the province’s progress and prosperity.
The prime minister also recalled that Punjab had agreed to give part of its share from the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to Balochistan in view of its development needs, as the province is the largest in terms of area.
“In today’s value, the funds diverted to Balochistan amount to Rs160 billion,” he explained.
The NFC award was signed in Lahore in 2010 after three days of discussions among the national leadership, including President Asif Ali Zardari, then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Nawaz Sharif, he added.
He said that during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure as prime minister, many development projects were undertaken in Balochistan and President Zardari had initiated the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package.
Talking about the recent conflict with India, Premier Shehbaz said that on the nights between May 6 and 7 and May 10, India attacked Pakistan, but with the grace of Allah, the armed forces bravely defeated the enemy, who will remember its defeat forever. He thanked the people of Pakistan for showing unity and standing shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan Army during the conflict.
“As the prime minister, I was witness to all the events of the short-duration war,” he said, adding that “as a brave and sagacious leader, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir led Pakistan armed forces to a victory against India and made the nation proud.”
He said that the triumph over India was akin to avenging the events of 1971. “Now the enemy is scared and Pakistan’s friendly countries are more confident after Pakistan’s military victory over India,” he claimed.
