Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming the Gwadar Sea Port into one of the world’s best ports. During his visit to Gwadar, he inaugurated several development projects in collaboration with Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir. He emphasized that the progress and benefits of development in Balochistan, particularly in Gwadar, would be directed toward the people of the province.
The Prime Minister recalled that under the leadership of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, various projects were launched in power, infrastructure, and other sectors in Gwadar. However, he criticized the PTI government for abandoning these projects. Despite facing challenges, the coalition government managed to lay the foundation for development and prosperity in Balochistan over the past 15 months.
He acknowledged Balochistan’s rich reserves of minerals and natural resources that need to be explored. He assured that the development in the province would focus on providing clean drinking water, healthcare, education, and employment opportunities to the local population.
PM Shehbaz expressed disappointment that the dredging of Gwadar Port, a crucial process to prevent silt accumulation, was neglected by the previous government. He announced that the dredging process had now been initiated and would be completed by February next year.
Additionally, the Prime Minister declared an increase in the laptop quota for Balochistan, ensuring that 14% of the laptops will be allocated to the province, even though its population share is 6%. He further directed authorities to raise the quota to 18% for the next fiscal year.
Regarding financial matters, PM Shehbaz mentioned that the rollover of a $2.4 billion loan from China had taken place, averting the risk of default for Pakistan. He praised the support received from brotherly countries like China, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, assuring that the assistance provided was completely unconditional.
Lastly, he emphasized the importance of prioritizing the security of foreigners in the province and directed relevant authorities to ensure their safety.
