Govt to give priority to development of Balochistan: NA Speaker

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser chaired a meeting in Parliament House on Friday in connection with the repatriation and rehabilitation of internally displaced Persons (IDPs) of Balochistan and other development works in the province.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Pervaiz Khattak, Minister for Energy Omar Ayub, Minister for Privatization Muhammadmian Soomro, Advisor to PM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar, MNA Shahzain Bughti and representatives from ministries of SAFRON and Energy, Balochistan government and NADRA.

The speaker, who is Chairman of Special Committee on Balochistan, said that present government had always accorded immense importance to the maintenance of law and order and development in Balochistan.

He said Balochistan was abdundantly sanctified with natural resources which had not been properly tapped and utilized for the betterment of the people of the province.

He said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a game changer for the entire country especially for Balochistan which would usher in progress and prosperity of the province and its people.

He said the aforesaid aims could not be achieved without active involvement of the people of Balochistan.

The speaker said a large number of people of Balochistan had to leave their ancestral homes due to dreadful law and order situation during last years; however, the situation had improved and it was right time now for them to come back home and join the development activities in the province.

He said the government was dedicated for facilitating repatriation of Balochistan IDPs and their subsequent rehabilitation.

He said the Parliament was also cognizant of that and would oversee the whole process.

The representative from Ministry of SAFRON, Balochistan government and NADRA apprised the meeting about the standard operating procedures (SoPs) to be developed in respect of the repatriation process.

The representative of Ministry of SAFRON apprised that the model developed by KPK Disaster Management Authority for settlement of IDPs from Waziristan could be replicated by Balochistan PDMA besides training of officials responsible for facilitating the process.

The senior member of Board of Revenue Balochistan informed that a committee would be notified by the Balochistan government to carry out and oversee the process.

The NADRA Chairman apprised that the data of the IDPs would be collected and provided to the relevant authorities to carry out the repatriation process.

The speaker said that mitigating the genuine issues of the people of Balochistan was our national responsibility and everyone should relentlessly play their role.

He said that he would personally talk to the Balochistan Chief Minister for constitution of the IDPs committee so that the process could be initiated at the earliest.

The speaker also directed for seeking a report from the Petroleum Division regarding spending of CSR funds by the oil and gas companies operation in Balochistan with special reference to socio-economic development in areas of their operation.

The federal ministers on behalf of the government assured the speaker for its all out cooperation.