Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday launched the state-run National Health Programme (NHP) which will cover about 76,000 families in four districts of Balochistan.
Inaugurating the NHP, the prime minister said political stability is vital for the provision of better health facilities, education, and attracting foreign investment.
The prime minister was also given a briefing on the law and order situation in Balochistan and the ongoing development projects in the province in a meeting held at the Governor House, Quetta.
THE NHP:
Nawaz Sharif distributed health insurance cards among deserving people of Balochistan.
“Underprivileged residents of Quetta, Kech, Loralai and Lasbela will benefit from the government-funded programme,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri thanked the prime minister for initiating the health programme from Balochistan after the federal capital.
He said the people of Balochistan will not allow conspirators to hatch conspiracies against the democratically elected government.
In her remarks, Minister of State for Health Saira Afzal Tarar said the National Health Scheme will improve health indicators in the province and bring down the mortality rate of children and mothers.
After the first phase in Quetta, Lasbela, Kaich and Loralai, the programme will be expanded to other areas of the province.
LAW AND ORDER:
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was briefed on the law and order and various development projects in a meeting at the Governor House.
Balochistan Chief Secretary Saifullah Chattah gave a detailed briefing to the participants of the meeting. He said that Balochistan is confronted with multiple challenges including terrorism, sectarian, target killing and kidnapping for ransom.
He said the security of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Gwadar and implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) are among other challenges in the province.
Bomb blast incidents dropped from 483 in 2013 to 27 in 2016 while incidents of rocket firing dropped from 372 to only 5 during the same period. As many as 90 incidents of highway robberies occurred in 2013 which fell to 9 during 2016 while incidents of kidnapping for ransom dropped from 49 to 8 during the same period.
The meeting was briefed that the unwavering political will and effective coordination between intelligence and law enforcement agencies have resulted in elimination of high profile terrorists.
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS:
The prime minister also inaugurated a number of development projects worth billions of rupees in Quetta on Monday.
These included supply of gas to Inayatullah Karez Gulistan, Mastung, Kalat and adjoining areas and laying of transmission lines from Loralai to D.G. Khan and Khuzdar to Dadu.
The prime minister also performed ground breaking of underpasses on Brewery Road at Golimar Chowk and Zarghoon Road.
On this occasion, the prime minister was also briefed about the projects.
The prime minister was briefed that three new medical colleges had been set up in the province. Bolan Medical College was upgraded to medical university while Agriculture College, Quetta, was upgraded to Agriculture University. Two sub campuses have also been created for the University of Balochistan; two new residential colleges have been set up at Kharan and Sibi while 141 new primary schools have been created during the present government. Additionally, 105 small dams, 659 water supply schemes, 3,451 km of roads, two new 50 bed hospitals at Gawadar and Sui have been built along with the creation of 21,000 jobs in the province.
A TIME FOR CHANGE:
The prime minister said that Balochistan has been long neglected by the centre and even the provincial governments. He said the solution of Balochistan’s problems lies in quick execution of development projects.
“It is time to do what could not be done in the past,” the prime minister said.
The federal government will ensure provision of the required assistance and help so that the issues of Balochistan are adequately resolved.
“We are further increasing the allocation of funds to the province for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017,” the prime minister said.
The prime minister said that Balochistan and its people will be the biggest beneficiaries of projects like Gawadar and CPEC.
“These two projects alone have the potential to change the destinies of millions of people in the country and the region,” the prime minister said.
Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Chief Minister Sardar Sanaullah Khan Zehri, Minister of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar, National Security Advisor Lt Gen (r) Nasser Khan Janjua and members of the provincial cabinet were present during the meeting.
Munafqat at its worst.
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