PM likely to announce Rs 10bn gas surcharge for Balochistan today

[LahoreEstate]

* Balochistan package includes indemnity to political prisoners, recovery of missing persons, return of armed forces to barracks

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is likely to announce Rs 10 billion for Balochistan in gas surcharge in a joint session of parliament scheduled for 3pm today (Tuesday).

Sources said Balochistan claimed Rs 300 billion in gas surcharge arrears from the federal government.

“Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will announce token money of Rs 10 billion in gas surcharge arrears during the current financial year. The remaining amount will be paid to Balochistan in instalments. This will be in addition to the province’s share from the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award,” the sources said.

They said the ‘Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan’ package would go a long way in redressing the grievances and removing the sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan and bringing the province at par with other parts of the country.

Features: The main features of the package include indemnity to political prisoners, recovery of missing persons and bringing nationalist parties to mainstream politics.

It also includes return of the armed forces to barracks, a special share for Balochistan from its natural resources and allocation of special funds for socio-economic uplift of the people.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) parliamentary committee, led by Senator Raza Rabbani, has prepared the package.

Earlier, Prime Minister Gilani called a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan to review and deliberate on the final draft of the package prepared in consultation with all the stakeholders and political leadership of the country.

Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Petroleum Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Labour and Manpower Syed Khursheed Shah, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan and Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf were also present.

The prime minister praised the efforts of the parliamentary committee and hoped that the ‘Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan’ package would go a long way in redressing the grievances of the people of Balochistan and strengthening the federation of Pakistan.

Deciding the name of the package last week, Prime Minister Gilani had said the federal government attached high priority to the socio-economic development of the province, which was absolutely necessary for the progress and prosperity of the country.

He had said all out efforts were being made to bring Balochistan at par with the developed areas of the country, and the government was working towards comprehensive proposals acceptable to all.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif had earlier advised the prime minister to take the estranged Baloch nationalist leaders as well as the military into confidence before announcing the package.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?pag...2009_pg1_4