PM reiterates ‘votes bought’ in Senate elections

QUETTA: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reiterated his remarks over alleged rigging in the Senate elections, saying votes were bought to elect chairman of the Upper House.

What happens to the country if these parties [involved in Senate election rigging] are elected to power, wondered the PM while addressing a ceremony in Quetta.

The prime minister said the masses would decide their fate in July [the month of election]. He underlined that several development projects in Balochistan were facing delays before 2013, but a network of uplift works is being expanded across the province under the incumbent government, he added.

“Development will not stop in Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif is another name of development.” He hoped that the ‘politics of abuses’ will cease to exist in July.

Responding to criticism over government’s newly-unveiled tax amnesty scheme, he asked how many of the detractors actually pay taxes should also come to light.

Earlier, the prime minister inaugurated Rs 15 billion Khuzdar-Shahdadkot road and launched work on Kharan-Yakmach road as part of government’s endeavor to uplift communication infrastructure in Balochistan.

Khuzdar-Shahdadkot road provides link between Balochistan and Sindh passing through Wango hills. The project would help alleviate poverty in the area by increasing trade activities.
Khuzdar-Shahdadkot road is part of M-8, the Gwadar-Ratodero Motorway which connects country’s eastern and western regions.

The cargo transport moving from Gwadar to Sindh would be able to use this road that would be completed at the cost of around Rs 15 billion.

Situated in far flung area of the province, the 200-kilometer Kaharan-Yakmach section connects three important districts of Chaghi, Washuk and Kharan. This is the closest link with Iranian border via N-25 and the project would reduce the distance by 250 kilometers.Editor’s Pick: Pakistan General Elections Update

The project would accelerate the economic activity in the mineral-rich districts and it would ease the transportation of the minerals from Chaghi to Karachi particularly from Reko Diq.

Moreover, it would also provide an alternate and short route for transportation of goods between Karachi and Iranian border instead of existing longer route of N-25.

The two-lane Kharan-Yakmach road had been divided into four sections to connect with Kharan via Shahi Garhi, Shahpur, Wadh and Dostain. The project comprises two bridges and 1067 culverts.

After its completion, the highway could be used by 3,000 vehicles daily with a set speed of 90 kilometers per hour. Around one million population inhabiting in Basima, Kharan, Yakmach, Nok Kundi, Taftan and Noshki would benefit from the project.

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