GWADAR: Prime Minister Imran Khan has asserted that he is considering to hold talks with insurgent groups in Balochistan so that hostile elements, including India, could not use them to spread chaos.
The Prime Minister’s comments came while addressing a ceremony in Gwadar, in connection with the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) for several projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Chairman China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal and other Pakistani and Chinese officials also spoke on the occasion.
The Prime Minister said that the insurgents might be upset with the state due to some past grievances or India might have used them to spread terror in Pakistan. “However, now, the situation has changed,” he said.
He said that in the past, neither the Center nor the local leaders had done justice with the province which deepened the grievances of the local people. “If development work had been carried out in the province, we would never have had to worry about insurgents,” he added.
PM Imran Khan asserted that Gwadar was becoming a focal point for Pakistan, which will benefit the country, especially Balochistan. He pointed out that some areas in the country are developed, while several others, including Balochistan, have remained underdeveloped. “I dream of Pakistan’s future. This nation is headed towards becoming a great country,” he said, reiterating that Pakistan’s future was linked with Balochistan’s development.
The premier said he had come to visit Gwadar for two reasons — inaugurate the Gwadar Free Zone Phase 2 and for the development of Balochistan. He mentioned that Gwadar International Airport would encourage regional trade and boost economic activity.
He also inaugurated Gwadar Free Zone, Expo Center, Agriculture Industrial Park, and three factories; he also witnessed the signing of various MOUs aimed at constructing a state-of-the-art hospital, airport, and vocational institute.
PM Imran Khan unveiled the plaque for the following mega projects in Gwadar
1. Gwadar Fertilizer Plant
2. Gwadar Animal Vaccine Plant
3. Henan Agricultural Industrial Park
4. Hengmei Lubricants Plant
5. Gwadar Free Zone Phase 2
6. Gwadar Expo Centre#GwadarRisingWithCPEC pic.twitter.com/EHaLpbvWro— Imran Ghazali (@ImranGhazaliPK) July 5, 2021
The prime minister said works on energy and water supplies to the city were underway, and this would help Gwadar grow. “These projects were moving at a slow pace before […] but now they are developing at a better pace,” he added.
The premier also directed the authorities to ensure progress in Gwadar on a month-to-month basis, saying there shouldn’t be any impediments in this regard.
He observed that Balochistan lacked connectivity and that hampered socio-economic development of the people there, giving rise to subversive activities in the province. “Those who like unrest attempt to take the local people on board to carry-out their activities.”
“Unfortunately, we have never focused on exports. And if we do, it will help bring in dollars,” he said, adding that Pakistan has always been at the mercy of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as export-led growth.
“Pakistan can benefit from its strategic location and also from the expertise of its friend China which is the becoming an economic power in the region,” he added. He also mentioned the technical education provided by China to the locals of Gwadar, which he said, would prove greatly helpful as the foreign investment grew in future.
Talking about the situation in Afghanistan, The premier said countries in the region had expressed interest in reaping the benefits offered by the Gwadar port. He also expressed concern over the law and situation in Afghanistan, which he said, was extremely important for the continuity of development.
“We all want peace and stability to prevail in Afghanistan. I spoke to Iran’s president, and I told him that Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries should push for a political settlement in the war-torn nation,” he added.
