TURBT, Dec 18 (APP): President of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari on Monday vowed that the PPP government after winning the upcoming general elections would to speed up the development process in Balochistan.
It would particularly start development projects in the fields of education, health and communication, besides ensuring supply of irrigation water to promote agriculture in the province, he said while addressing the party workers’ convention, according to a Bilawal House press release.
Asif Zardari said in terms of development projects, “Balochistan will be the first now, as it has a lot of scope to move forward”.
The former president said that Balochistan was the heart of Pakistan. “Conflict does not bring prosperity,” he said, adding “We will beautify the province which has many resources.”
He claimed that during the party’s previous government in the province, he provided funds but did not monitor the development projects. “Now I will supervise the development projects myself,” he vowed.
The former President pointed out that previous Pakistan peoples Party (PPP) governments in Sindh had built lining canals, as a result of which sugarcane was being cultivated in many uninhabited areas of the province.
“Gold can also grow here in Balochistan,” he added.
Asif Zardari said that development in Balochistan would be carried out in cooperation with China.
“China will be our partner, we will work together with China.”
He pointed out that Gwadar was already there, but no one except the PPP government paid attention to the expansion of that port. “We have to improve the economic conditions, we have to give employment to the youth of Balochistan,” he said, adding that the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) would be expanded and educated unemployed youth would be given stipend till they get employment.
The former president said that if the PPP government formed after the upcoming general elections it would build a university in every division of Balochistan, a college in every district and medical colleges and hospitals keeping in view the population.
He said that he had endured 14 years of imprisonment, during which he trained himself.
“Whenever the PPP comes to power, it comes to serve the people,” he said and added: “I gave identity to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province by giving its name. It’s not our fault, it’s our pride.”
He said that no nation could bear the burden of another nation. “We hosted Afghans for 40 years, but today they are reluctant to be our brothers.”
They should go to their home country as no other country could take care of them, he added.
Meanwhile, former caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti formally announced his joining the PPP at the workers convention.