Musharraf inaugurates Rs 1.58 billion Sabakzai Dam

President General Pervez Musharraf on Monday urged the people of Balochistan to resist and stop those who were against the country''s progress and development.
"You have to maintain peace to ensure your progress and that of your country, but you will have to stop and resist all those who are against it," President Musharraf told a large gathering while inaugurating the Rs 1.58 billion Sabakzai Dam.
The President described the mega project as a gift for the people of Balochistan and a guarantee for a prosperous future and said that those who are trying to disrupt development were not friends of Pakistan. "Blowing up electricity pylons, bridges and other infrastructure does not directly affect me or Pakistan but hurts the interests of the poor of Balochistan and increases their sufferings," the President added.
The President said it was now up to the people of Balochistan to rise against those who want to see them mired in perpetual poverty. He said the dam, built under Vision 2030 and having a storage capacity of 32,700-acre feet would irrigate over 10,000 acres of land.
The President said Balochistan''s progress and prosperity was closely linked to that of Pakistan. President Musharraf said the completion of Sabakzai dam project would not only benefit the locals in overcoming scarcity of water, but also help them in irrigating land and get employment.
He urged them to grow grapes and vegetables in addition to wheat, and especially olive plant, which could prove as great export stuff. He said the government''s development projects for Balochistan focused on eliminating poverty and providing employment to the people.
The President said the government had released Rs 100 million to develop the Quetta-Zhob broad-gauge railway line. He said 19 villages in Zhob district had been electrified while the number would be raised up to 50 soon. On telecommunication project, the President said the capacity of wireless local loop would be enhanced to additional 1,000 lines in the area. Musharraf took notice of the delay in providing gas to the area and said it would be checked on priority basis.
He said the previous governments paid no heed to the prosperity of Balochistan. However the present government was endeavouring to mitigate the sense of deprivation among Balochis by introducing projects worth Rs 150 billion for their uplift.
President Musharraf mentioned the 1,000 kilometre long Gwadar-Rato Dero road and the 750-km coastal highway from Karachi to Gwadar, which were proving important communication links. Two more roads from Quetta to Zhob and Quetta-Loralai-D.G Khan road are also under construction, he said.