World Bank Mission To Visit Balochistan To Discuss Mutual Cooperation

The Baloch Hal News

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Balochistan, Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani has said that Balochistan would become an economic giant in the near future and the provincial government was making all out efforts to meet the challenges ahead..
He was talking to Mr. John W. Wall, senior advisor Pakistan-South Asia of the World Bank, who called on him at Balochistan House here Friday.
During the meeting Nawab Aslam Raisani said that Balochistan had great potentials with vast mineral deposits and rich natural resources, which if properly exploited would turn the country into a prosperous nation.
Nawab Raisani maintained that three vital sectors of the economy were the most priority ares of the provincial government that include education, water and mining sectors. The Chief Minister invited the World Bank mission to visit Balochistan in order to have detailed deliberations on a number of proposals for giving a fillip to these three sectors.
Mr. John discussed with the Chief Minister about the scope of Balochistan Education Foundation; conserving and harnessing the water resources and uplift of mining industry in the province.
Nawab Aslam Raisani informed that the provincial government was working on a plan to establish its own Balochistan Alternate Energy Board (BAEB) in order to explore alternate energy sources to overcome the power shortage, to ensure smooth and uninterrupted industrial and agricultural growth.
He said that there was a shortfall of 800 megawatt electricity in the province and the Balochistan government was exploring alternate means to meet the power requirements. He informed that eight major dams were under consideration for irrigation as well as power requirements and added that other options for power generation through wind, hydel, thermal and solar resources were also under considerations.
The Chief Minister asked the World Bank to extend support in capacity building and producing skilled manpower in the mining sector. However, any such assistance could be accepted only when the terms and conditions best suited to the people of Balochistan.
The World Bank’s Advisor evinced his keen interest in Balochistan government’s priorities and its future planning. He said the Bank’s mission would soon visit Balochistan to discuss with the authorities concerned to work as partners in future development plans.
Earlier, Chief Minister Balochistan leading a delegation comprising provincial ministers visited the headquarters of the National Highways Authroity (NHA) where authority’s chairman, Altaf Ahmed Chaudhry gave a detailed briefing on the conditions of highways and roads in Balochistan. The provincial ministers included Mir Asim Kurd Gailu; Sardar Aslam Bizenjo; Mir Habibur Rehman Muhammdhasni and Muhammad Saleem Khosa.
Nawab Aslam Raisani conveyed the displeasure of the people of Balochistan over the deplorable conditions of national highways in the province. He urged the authority to expedite the work on the on-going projects vis-à-vis improving the conditions of existing roads, on fast track basis.
The Chief Minister maintained that poor conditions of national highways had already caused much resentment and law and order problems on the part of traders, transporters and commuters. He called upon the Ministry of Communications and the NHA to ensure timely releases of funds to the contractors so that necessary repair works got done in stipulated period.
Chairman NHA informed that the work between Kalat-Chaman sections of the N-25 highway was near completion and 35 kilometer each at Kalat and Chaman would be completed during the current financial year for which Asian Development Bank had agreed to extend the loan. He said repair and maintenance on other major highways were in progress and efforts would be made to complete these at the earliest.