ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said the government had already announced a total of 199 development projects at cost of Rs601 billion, which focuses on providing employment opportunities, health and education facilities, and digital connectivity to Southern Balochistan.

The minister said this, while addressing a “National Workshop on Balochistan”, on Monday.

The workshop was attended by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CPEC Affairs Khalid Mansoor, Parliamentary Secretary Kanwal Shauzab, the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Secretary Planning, Additional Secretary, and Advisor Maritime Affairs.

Various segments of society including politicians and notables of Balochistan regardless of the social and political affiliations attended the workshop, which aimed at enabling the exchange of perspectives among participants through the lens of Balochistan.

Addressing the workshop, Asad Umar said the federal government was committed to providing maximum share in federal resources to Balochistan for its speedy development and bringing it at par with the other provinces in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Umar said it was the prime minister’s vision that the state should give priority to the development of the most backward areas of the country and therefore, special development packages had been announced for Southern Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and 14 priority districts of Sindh along with Karachi Transformation Plan.

While highlighting the Southern Balochistan Development Package, he said that consisting of 199 projects, the total cost of the package is Rs601 billion, which focuses on providing employment opportunities, health and education facilities, and digital connectivity to the Balochistan region.

He said digital Balochistan would significantly contribute to employment generation for the people of the region.

Khalid Mansoor also briefed the participants on projects being executed under the CPEC initiatives and said that substantial work was being done to uplift the Balochistan region.

He said the development of Balochistan shall not only connect it with the other provinces but it would pave the way for regional connectivity.—NAVEED BUTT