Presidentá Asif Ali Zardari reiterated that theáprogressá and prosperity ofáBalochistanáprovince and its people were among theátopápriorities of the incumbentágovernment. He further resolved to putáBalochistanáon the path ofáprogressáand prosperity and expressed to play their due role in the stability ofáPakistan. The president was addressing at a banquet hosted by theáChief MinisteráofáBalochistanáMir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti in his honour, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release. The president said thatáBalochistanáhad a unique significance owing to its mineral resources and long coastal strip. He said theáworldáwas achieving rapidáprogressáand stressed upon exploration of natural resources in the provinces through modern techniques. He said that they would strive to turn the barren lands of the province into cultivable through the effective mechanism of irrigation so that it could produce enough yield.

The 18th Amendment was adopted during their previous tenure inágovernmentáwhich was aimed at the national development and ensuring provincial rights and which had largely benefitedáalláprovinces, he opined.  The president observed that the province was gifted witháoiláandágasáreserves but they had not incorporated the latest trends in this sector, adding there was still time to tap these natural resources for meeting the economic requirements of the country. About the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), he said that theápoor, low-income and deserving families were being benefitedáfromáthe package and hinted at the expansion of such programmes. The president expressed his desire to work for theáprogressáand prosperity of the entire country and especially forá Balochistanáand its people. He also assured the provincialágovernmentáofáalláout support so that it could create development opportunities for the inhabitants and also stressed uponáresolutionáofáalláissues through political dialogue. áFacebookáTwitteráRedditá

Credit: Independent News Pakistan