President Pervez Musharraf declared open a Sui gas project at Ziarat, 75 km from Quetta, on Saturday benefiting more than 40,000 tribesmen living in 27 villages. The gas pipeline completed by Sui Southern Gas Company at a cost of Rs 370 million would not only meet the fuel requirements of the tribesmen living in Ziarat and surrounding icy cold areas but would also save Pakistan's most precious 4,000 years old juniper forest.
For want of fuel, the tribesmen had no option but to use juniper wood to ward off severe winters and use precious trees' wood for cooking and commercial purposes, destroying Ziarat's natural beauty which had attracted the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah to spend last days of his life in 1948. Jumper forest is famous for treatment and cure of patients suffering from chest diseases.
Opening the natural gas supply project at Ziarat, the President said that by the grace of God he had succeeded in fulfilling his pledge for gas supply to Ziarat by Sui gas pipeline promised for the people of Balochistan earlier. President Musharraf said he was confident that the project would open an era of socio-economic prosperity for the people of Ziarat, a beautiful historic hill resort where Quaid-e-Azam had preferred to spend last days of his life.
Sui gas supply project at Ziarat by President synchronised with the 56th death anniversary of the Father of the Nation on Saturday.
President Musharraf, members of his entourage including Governor, Chief Minister, provincial ministers, Corp Commander, and others observed Quaid's death anniversary at Ziarat Residency where the Father of the Nation had stayed before breathing his last. Prayers were offered for the departed soul, integrity, security and sovereignty of Pakistan.
PPI ADDS: President General Pervez Musharraf has said that all defence requirements are being fulfilled for making the country more secure and stable.
Addressing the officers and Jawans of Garrison, the President said that besides defending the country we have to develop Pakistan and this job would have to be done by us rather than any one else.
He brushed aside the rumours about rolling back the nuclear programme and categorically stated that Pakistan would not roll back its nuclear programme, but would improve it further.
Paying tributes to the Armed forces, Musharraf said that we have no external threat but are confronting internal challenges. He said the government is taking effective steps for elimination of terrorism and so far ninety percent of the terrorists have been arrested. The President said that we have to root out terrorism for ensuring security and stability of the country.
He said terrorism affects the process of investment in the country, which weakens the economy and people cold not get jobs. The President mentioned that Pakistan exported sixty billion rupees of textile products to European countries and if we were not able to control terrorism, negative impacts would cast upon the exports.