Daily Times

Sir: Balochistan is considered Pakistan’s energy basket, and constitutes 44 percent of the country’s territory. It is a host to several natural resources, including precious metals, minerals and natural gas. The province can easily improve our economic status and help us become a developed country if the authorities in this country utilized these resources correctly.

Sadly, the province has been completely neglected, including in terms of benefits received from ongoing projects, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which could have proven to be a game-changer for the province.

If the CPEC project was to be implemented in a manner that would be beneficial for the people of Balochistan, then the citizens of Gwadar would not be dealing with water shortage, electricity crisis and lack of schools. Though Gwadar is a central location in the CPEC project and the government is planning to make it a mega city, its people remain deprived of basic necessities. According to former Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, at least Rs 5,000 billion are being spent on the CPEC project; but Balochistan has not even received one percent of it yet. I humbly request that the government of Pakistan and CPEC authorities take note of the plight of people of Balochistan. If this province remains ignored then CPEC will undoubtedly fail.

Shakeel Phullan

Turbat

Published in Daily Times, June 19^th 2018.