GWADAR: Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa laid foundation stone of United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Swiss governments’ supported Gwadar desalination plant at Gwadar on Sunday.

The project fulfills long-awaited demand of locals, which shall provide them 4.4 million gallons water per day with capacity to increase to 8.8 million gallons per day, said a press release issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The desalination plant will get completed in 6-8 months’ time and shall resolve the scarcity of drinking water in the area and also reduce hardships of local population to fetch water from far-flung areas.

The COAS said that Balochistan’s progress was Pakistan’ progress. Pakistan Army will extend full support and assist the socio-economic development of Balochistan, he said.

While highlighting the importance of the ongoing projects as part of Khushal Balochistan programme, the Army Chief said that all measures in coordination with civil Government would be taken to bring peace and prosperity in Balochistan. He said that these projects would transform the lives of people of Balochistan.

The COAS emphasised that the potential of Balochistan as regional economic hub would only be realized when people of Balochistan are best served by these projects.

Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, Ambassador of UAE in Pakistan, Commander Southern Command, Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa, Director General Frontier Works Organization (FWO) and large number of locals were present on the occasion.

The COAS is also scheduled to attend the closing ceremony of Makran Festival in connection with Baloch Culture Day.—APP