Daily Times

A legislative body of Upper house of parliament on Thursday regretted that every government was providing more funds for developed areas and neglecting the less developed areas due to several pretends.

The less developed areas have more mineral resources than others but it required proper utilization, said Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Less Developed Areas Usman Khan Kakar. He regretted the fact the despite being the hub of culture and being widespread with minerals, it was a pity that areas of former FATA, PATA, interior Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan were the least developed. He said that more share of resources and funds for development must be awarded to less developed areas. The trend to distribute resources on the basis of population must be curbed. He said that 71 percent of the area of Pakistan was underdeveloped and less than 20 percent budget was allocated for this. The Committee demanded the need for allocating more resources for these areas in the upcoming budget.

Responding to the committee’s observations, Advisor to PM on Industries and Production Abdul Razzaq Dawood was of the view that there was no place in the world that can be called God forsaken. He stressed that every area in Pakistan and around the world has some skill or some specialty that can be promoted and the Ministry of Industries and Production was working day and night for this purpose. Speaking about Tharparkar, he said that this area would be completely transitioned in the near future due to coal mining and power plants being set up in this area.

Chairman Senate Committee lamented that 71 percent of the area of Pakistan was underdeveloped and less than 20 percent budget was allocated for this

The agenda placed before the Committee was to deliberate over briefing by the Ministry of Industries and Production regarding small and medium enterprises operating in less developed areas.

The Committee was briefed of the different industrial sectors being developed in less developed areas from Khyber to Karachi. The Committee was also briefed about the work of Aik Hunar Aik Nagar (AHAN) and the various initiatives it has been taking to promote the work of local artisans in Pakistan. The Committee was highly impressed by AHAN’s work and stressed the need to ensure all ruffles in their path are smoothed. Senator Rahila Magsi offered AHAN a space free of cost to conduct a festival to promote local artisans in a park that she owns in Tando Allahyar.

Senator Fida Muhammad was of the view that there were many enterprises especially Steel Mills in Malakand Division, which also forms part of the less developed spectrum, being shut down due to intervention from environmental agencies. He said that they stressed for enterprises to operate in these areas procure a NOC. He added that shutting down these industries had caused investors loss of millions of rupees and has left numerous without livelihood. He said if the government could not address the issue at the earliest; there would be 16,000 people out on the streets blocking the roads in Malakand Division. He stressed the role of government to provide livelihood rather than creating hiccups in already existing facilities.

Committee discusses recommendations for promotion of artefacts and artisans in least developed areas

Senator Gian Chand while speaking of Tharparker said that a policy must be formulated to promote artisans in these areas. He said that though coal mining projects were being developed in Thar, the area has been cordoned off and not one village in Thar is benefitting from energy or electricity while there was one main line that provides electricity to enterprises operating in these areas.

Senator Kulsoom Parveen insisted that local artefacts of Balochistan, especially the Kilim industry (flat tapestry-weaving of carpet or rug) must be revived; she said that these artefacts were appreciated worldwide.

The Committee recommended that chromite and coal washing plants be installed in Loralai and Harnoi and asserted that laboratories to test minerals be established. It also stressed the need to provide AHAN with a regular budget to ensure that local artisans and their cultural identity was promoted. The Committee also recommended that the AHAN open outlets at airports and along the motorway. It also suggested that it display its products at shops in Parliament House and Lodges.

Senator Kulsoom Parveen, Senator Rahila Magsi, Senator Nighat Mirza, Senator Haji Momin Khan Afridi, Senator Muhammad Ayub, Senator Fida Muhammad, Senator Gian Chand and senior officers from The Ministry of Industries and Production, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), Engineering Development Board (EDB) and Aik Hunar Aik Nagar (AHAN) attended the meeting.

Published in Daily Times, February 8^th 2019.