ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday acknowledged the deprivation in Balochistan, saying that the government had initiated the process of compensation by launching the “Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan” package.“We have started the process and the coming generations will complete it” he said while giving a policy statement in the National Assembly on the Balochistan situation.He said that all-out efforts were being made for peace, stability and prosperity in the province, adding that the measures being taken by the government would improve the situation there and remove a sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan.Prime Minister Gilani said that the reconciliation and harmony introduced by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would bring stability and peace in the province.“We are ready to hold dialogue with the provincial leadership for the uplift of Balochistan and its people,” he said.He said that the Federal Government had taken unprecedented measures to improve political stability in the province and address the grievances of its people.Recalling the visits of President Asif Ali Zardari, his own and Interior Minister Rehman Malik to the province for direct interaction with the people, he said that such interaction would continue in future.He said that the PPP-led government introduced Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e Balochistan package in November 2009 under which 61 amendments were proposed for reforms in the constitution, administration, political and economic sectors for the province and a cabinet committee headed by Senator Raza Rabbani was constituted for their implementation.He said that efforts of the government had brought visible changes to education, health, construction, social welfare and communication sectors, creating employment opportunities in Balochistan.
“I feel pride to mention that the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan is bringing prosperity to our Baloch brothers and is a guarantee for the welfare of future generations.”The Prime Minister said that the issue of missing persons had been lingering since long and the government had taken solid steps, including the establishment of a judicial commission, to sort out the issue on humanitarian grounds.The Prime Minister said that the government was making efforts that innocent persons should not be included in the list of those who are threat to national security and sovereignty.“I assure that we will not allow any harm to innocent persons,” the Prime Minister said, adding that action had been taken in 61 out of 114 such cases.He said that the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award topped the steps, taken by the government to overcome economic deprivation of the people of Balochistan. The province was given Rs. 99 billion under the unanimous approved award – APP
