DCOs to Act as Administrators Vice District Nazims in Balochistan from January 1

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA Dec 24: Balochistan cabinet has decided to appoint district coordination officers  as administrators vice district nazims after the completion of local government’s tenure on December 31. The cabinet also decided to annul the agreement on Reko Dik copper and gold project with Australian company.

The cabinet met with chief minister Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani in the chair here on Thursday. The cabinet also decided that the town municipal officers in all district headquarters would be appointed as executive district officer (revenue) while in tehsils the town municipal officers would continue performing their duties on their same designations. These decisions would, however, be implemented following its ratification by the provincial assembly.

The cabinet also directed the local bodies to get their eight years records completed for audit. It also decided that the local bodies elections would be held within in a year.

The cabinet also decided to cancel the Reko Dik copper and gold agreement signed with an Australian company. The cabinet was informed that the company had been issued mineral exploration license in Riko Dik area of Chagai district and it has now been decided not to hand over the project to the company on lease to ensure hold of the province over its resources. It was also decided that the work on the project would be carried out by the provincial government for which the services of technical people would be hired.

The cabinet also decided to allocate 3% quota for minorities in government jobs. It also approved setting up Balochistan Judicial Academy to impart training to judges and lawyers.

The meeting attributed the victory of PPP candidate Tahir Mehmood in the by-polls for provincial assembly seat PB-I to performance of the party and altruistic politics of ex-education minister Shafiq Ahmed Khan.

The meeting was attended by chief secretary Balochistan Nasir Mehmood Khosa, additional chief secretary (Development) Qayyum Nazar Changezi, provincial secretaries of mines and minerals, information, finance, law, local government and services and general administration department other than the provincial ministers.