Daily Times

GWADAR/QUETTA: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Sunday said that Pakistan Army will extend full support to the socio-economic development of Balochistan.

“Balochistan’s progress is Pakistan’s progress,” the COAS said while laying the foundation stone of a desalination plant in Gwadar supported by the UAE and Swiss governments.

The project fulfils a long-awaited demand of the local population and will provide them with 4.4 million gallons of water per day with a capacity to increase the production to 8.8 million gallons per day. The desalination plant will get completed in eight months and help resolve the scarcity of drinking water in the area.

While highlighting the importance of ongoing projects as part of Khushal Balochistan programme, the COAS said that all measures in coordination with the civilian authorities would be taken to bring peace and prosperity in the province. He said that these development projects will transform the lives of people of Balochistan. The potential of Balochistan as a regional economic hub will only be realised if people of the province are best served by these projects, he maintained.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bazinjo, ambassador of UAE in Pakistan, Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa, DG FWO and large number of locals were present on the occasion.

The COAS is in Balochistan on a two-day visit, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations.

The COAS will meet local tribal elders during his visit. He will also review the ‘Khushhal Balochistan’ project and security situation in Gwadar and Turbat, according to the ISPR.

Earlier in the day, the Frontier Corps seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition in Dera Bugti.

According to the ISPR, FC personnel conducted an intelligence-based operation on suspected terrorist hideouts in Dera Bugti. A huge cache of arms and ammunition including RPG rockets, sub-machine guns and sniper rifle ammunition, laptops, GPS and other communication equipment was also seized in the operation.

Published in Daily Times, March 5^th 2018.