Daily Times

Federal Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal said that measures would be taken to provide relief to the resident of Pak-Iran border areas including Zamran Jalgi border point Abdu Chak Abmand and Kantani Dar Gwadar.

She said that she will herself discuss with the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Southern Command Balochistan in order to address issues of people of border areas. Federal Minister expressed these views while talking to a delegation of regional dignitaries led by Hafiz Nasiruddin, leader of Jamiat Ahle Hadees Makran at Circuit House Turbat.

She said the government has decided to establish Border Market at Pak-Iran border for legal start of border trade at the places adjacent to the border which was approved by the federal government.

She said that the border market site has been identified at the places adjacent to the border corridors of Gabad and in this regard, the government is paying Rs 1.5 million per acre for acquiring the establishment border market land.

She said that with the establishment of the Border Market, the people of the border areas would be provided trade facilities in a legal manner.

Leading the delegation of Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadees Balochistan, Deputy General Secretary Hafiz Nasiruddin drew the attention of the Federal Minister regarding the closure of the border and said that due to lack of industry and employment opportunities in Makran Division for centuries, the people of the area have been forced to import a limited amount of food, petrol and diesel from neighboring countries for agricultural purposes. The closure of the border has led to the alarming rise in unemployment and poverty in the area.

He lauded the efforts of Zubaida Jalal and Southern Command Balochistan Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali for the approval of Legal Border Trade and efforts to establish Border Market.

He said the right decision had been made by Federal Minister to hold open Kachehari. Zabida Jalal assured the delegation that she would contact the Prime Minister and Southern Command Balochistan to provide relief to the people of the border areas on a limited scale for permission to bring diesel and essential food items.

She said that the Prime Minister of Pakistan had approved the Southern Balochistan Package to alleviate the sense of deprivation of the people of South Balochistan and provide basic infrastructure facilities to the people affected by the insurgency in the last ten years.

Dadhocha Dam

Commissioner Rawalpindi Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah on Saturday said work on Dadhocha Dam would be continued uninterrupted ensuring full cooperation of the administration for the project.

He said in view of the deteriorating under water situation, construction of Dadhocha Dam was indispensable to ensure smooth water supply to residents of Rawalpindi.

While presiding over a meeting on Small Dams at the Commissioner’s Office,

he said work on Dadhocha Dam should be expedited under a clear strategy and all concerned departments would be taken on board. Presenting a brief on dam, official of small dams organisation apprised that the overall physical progress of the project was 16 percent. Additional Commissioner Coordination Jahangir Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (revenue) Shoaib Ali, and other concerned officials were also present in the meeting.

The dam is situated 25km from Rawalpindi city for which an amount of Rs 6.49 billion has been. After completion the gross storage capacity of the dam will be 60,000 acres feet. The dam will be completed approximately in 30 weeks which will also be a recreation place of residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.