Asad Umar, Bizenjo review progress on Balochistan package

QUETTA: Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar arrived on Friday in Quetta where he met with Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo and reviewed progress thus far made on the uplift package announced by the centre for the province.

In a tweet, the minister said, “Good progress achieved. [There is a] need to fast track some of the projects.” It was decided to remove the bottlenecks in the implementation of the projects, he added.

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Umar renewed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s commitment to accelerating development work in Balochistan.

Reviewed progress of work on balochistan development package in quetta and discussed with CM balochistan. Good progress achieved. Need to fast track some of the projects. Decisions taken to remove bottlenecks. PMIK govt fully committed to accelerating balochistan development.

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) November 5, 2021

Talking to the media alongside the Balochistan CM, the minister said the prime minister had announced the package under which a network of roads is being laid and dams are being built in the province.

For the first time in the country’s history, power transmission lines are being constructed to connect Gwadar with the national grid, he added.

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About the recent fuel price hike, he said the prime minister in his televised address to the nation had explained why would petroleum prices go up. Oil prices in the international market increased a few months back and the prime minister had cut taxes on petroleum products so its impact is not passed on to consumers in Pakistan, he added.

In the past six months, Rs400 billion worth of taxes on petroleum products were cut, the minister said.