QUETTA, June 6 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday reiterated his government’s resolve to remove the sense of deprivation of Baloch people by giving them rights and bringing them into the mainstream politics. Speaking at a press conference at Quetta Airport before his departure to Islamabad after a two-day visit of Balochistan, the Prime Minister said the government was ready for dialogue with the estranged leaders of Balochistan in the larger national interest.
The Prime Minister said the government was concentrating on improving the law and order situation in Balochistan and his present visit was aimed at to asses the same. He said the long-standing demand of the people of Balochistan was being fulfilled by replacing the Army with Frontier Constabulary in various areas of the province.
He said the government was fully committed to implement the resolution passed by the Parliament regarding the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package and under this package 20,000 jobs would be given to the Baloch youth in various federal departments, including law enforcement agencies.
He said all the federal ministers would also visit the province and resolve the issues related to their ministries.
To a question about contractual employees of NADRA, PTV and Radio in Balochistan, the Prime Minister directed Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who was also present in the press conference, to issue regularization orders of the contractual employees of NADRA. He said that Rs 10 billion extra amount was being given to Balochistan under the 7th NFC Award.
He said under the Balochistan package, now the Frontier Constabulary was replacing the Army in various areas of Balochistan.
He said that law and order and electricity were the two major issues of Balochistan, adding, the duration of load-shedding would be minimized and there would be no unscheduled load-shedding in Balochistan.
The Prime Minister said that he himself would visit Balochistan every month to asses the development and security situation in the province while the next meeting of the Cabinet would also be held in Quetta.
About the missing persons in Balochistan, the Prime Minister said two commissions had bee set up to probe the issue. He said earlier the number of missing persons in Balochistan had been exaggerated to 6,000. The progress on the issue was quite satisfactory. However, actual number of missing persons was just 38 and efforts should be made to trace them out.
He said the government was fully committed to implement the resolution passed by the Parliament regarding the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package and under this package 20,000 jobs would be given to the Baloch youth in various federal departments, including law enforcement agencies.
He said all the federal ministers would also visit the province and resolve the issues related to their ministries.
To a question about contractual employees of NADRA, PTV and Radio in Balochistan, the Prime Minister directed Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who was also present in the press conference, to issue regularization orders of the contractual employees of NADRA. He said that Rs 10 billion extra amount was being given to Balochistan under the 7th NFC Award.
He said under the Balochistan package, now the Frontier Constabulary was replacing the Army in various areas of Balochistan.
He said that law and order and electricity were the two major issues of Balochistan, adding, the duration of load-shedding would be minimized and there would be no unscheduled load-shedding in Balochistan.
The Prime Minister said that he himself would visit Balochistan every month to asses the development and security situation in the province while the next meeting of the Cabinet would also be held in Quetta.
About the missing persons in Balochistan, the Prime Minister said two commissions had bee set up to probe the issue. He said earlier the number of missing persons in Balochistan had been exaggerated to 6,000. The progress on the issue was quite satisfactory. However, actual number of missing persons was just 38 and efforts should be made to trace them out.
About Gwader Port, the Prime Minister said that the issue is close to his heart and a plan has been discussed to link the Port with Ratodero.
He said that during his China visit, he had asked the Chinese Prime Minister that Korakorum Highway was a symbol of friendship of Pakistan and China while investment in Ratodero and Karachi-Faisalabad Motorway would be another great project of China after the KKH.
He said Chinese investors agreed to start the project on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.
The Prime Minister assured that all available resources would be utilized for the development of Balochistan. He said the government put the economy on the right track with a comprehensive strategy despite the effects of global recession. The reason for increase in oil prices was the conditions in the global marketplace, he added.
About the foreign policy, the Prime Minister said the government would follow the foreign policy which is in the interest of the country.
“The government wants to maintain excellent relations with its neighbours - Afghanistan, Iran and India while our relationships with US and other world community is based on mutual respect and mutual interest”, he said.
About terrorism, the Prime Minister said it is a global issue and it should be tackled globally. “We are united against the war on terror and we will be successful in it but terrorism is not a normal war, rather it is a guerrilla war.”
Prime Minister Gilani was confident that there is no political prisoner in his tenure as the PPP-led government believes in the politics of reconciliation and wanted to resolve all the issue with talks.
He said that “today the media and court are free, and the protection to journalists is our prime responsibility”. A fund has been set up for the welfare of the victim journalist and both the federal and provincial governments would jointly work on it, he added.
To a question about the Abbottabad incident and drone attacks, the Prime Minister said that he had asked US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit that giving respect to the resolution passed by Joint Parliament regarding the drone attacks is morally binding on US.
He said the US Secretary of States was informed that the government was under pressure regarding the drone attacks and it would be better to transfer drone technology to Pakistan.
He said “the government is convincing the US through diplomatic channels and we would be successful in it”.
About Ilyas Kashmiri’s death, the Prime Minister said that US government has confirmed his killing in drone attack.
To a question about list of most wanted terrorists, the Prime Minister said that terrorism is a joint concern of both the US and Pakistan.” We will not allow anyone to use our land for their nefarious design of terrorism as it is unconstitutional and immoral,” he said. There is also intelligence sharing between the US and Pakistan in this regard, he added.
About the killing of Osama bin Laden, he said, it was not a proper way that the foreigners used our land to carry out terrorist activities.
He said the entire society including media, should play a vital role to discourage the blacksheep as their negative activities are giving a bad name to the country. “Our religion teaches principles of love and harmony”, he added.
To a question about PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister said that it was a democratic right of Nawaz Sharif to express his differences with the government and there was no reservation about his role in the politics.
About price-hike and inflation, he said, world inflation and
rising oil prices had caused price-hike in the entire world including Pakistan.He, however, said that power crisis, and the floods las year, had compounded the situation and assured that the government would very soon control the situation.
The Prime Minister also announced that a grade 20 officer would replace the grade 18 PID Director in provincial capital Quetta.
About subsidy on electricity bills of agricultural tubewells in Balochistan, the Prime Minister said that the federal government would provide Rs four billion in respect of subsidy while the provincial government would provide Rs three billion.
He said that during his China visit, he had asked the Chinese Prime Minister that Korakorum Highway was a symbol of friendship of Pakistan and China while investment in Ratodero and Karachi-Faisalabad Motorway would be another great project of China after the KKH.
He said Chinese investors agreed to start the project on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.
The Prime Minister assured that all available resources would be utilized for the development of Balochistan. He said the government put the economy on the right track with a comprehensive strategy despite the effects of global recession. The reason for increase in oil prices was the conditions in the global marketplace, he added.
About the foreign policy, the Prime Minister said the government would follow the foreign policy which is in the interest of the country.
“The government wants to maintain excellent relations with its neighbours - Afghanistan, Iran and India while our relationships with US and other world community is based on mutual respect and mutual interest”, he said.
About terrorism, the Prime Minister said it is a global issue and it should be tackled globally. “We are united against the war on terror and we will be successful in it but terrorism is not a normal war, rather it is a guerrilla war.”
Prime Minister Gilani was confident that there is no political prisoner in his tenure as the PPP-led government believes in the politics of reconciliation and wanted to resolve all the issue with talks.
He said that “today the media and court are free, and the protection to journalists is our prime responsibility”. A fund has been set up for the welfare of the victim journalist and both the federal and provincial governments would jointly work on it, he added.
To a question about the Abbottabad incident and drone attacks, the Prime Minister said that he had asked US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit that giving respect to the resolution passed by Joint Parliament regarding the drone attacks is morally binding on US.
He said the US Secretary of States was informed that the government was under pressure regarding the drone attacks and it would be better to transfer drone technology to Pakistan.
He said “the government is convincing the US through diplomatic channels and we would be successful in it”.
About Ilyas Kashmiri’s death, the Prime Minister said that US government has confirmed his killing in drone attack.
To a question about list of most wanted terrorists, the Prime Minister said that terrorism is a joint concern of both the US and Pakistan.” We will not allow anyone to use our land for their nefarious design of terrorism as it is unconstitutional and immoral,” he said. There is also intelligence sharing between the US and Pakistan in this regard, he added.
About the killing of Osama bin Laden, he said, it was not a proper way that the foreigners used our land to carry out terrorist activities.
He said the entire society including media, should play a vital role to discourage the blacksheep as their negative activities are giving a bad name to the country. “Our religion teaches principles of love and harmony”, he added.
To a question about PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister said that it was a democratic right of Nawaz Sharif to express his differences with the government and there was no reservation about his role in the politics.
About price-hike and inflation, he said, world inflation and
rising oil prices had caused price-hike in the entire world including Pakistan.He, however, said that power crisis, and the floods las year, had compounded the situation and assured that the government would very soon control the situation.
The Prime Minister also announced that a grade 20 officer would replace the grade 18 PID Director in provincial capital Quetta.
About subsidy on electricity bills of agricultural tubewells in Balochistan, the Prime Minister said that the federal government would provide Rs four billion in respect of subsidy while the provincial government would provide Rs three billion.