Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Saturday that his government would continue the projects which were initiated for Balochistan by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Speaking to the media after arriving in Quetta, Khaqan Abbasi thanked the Governor and the Chief Minister of Balochistan for welcoming him into the province. He said that the government would complete the gas project in Balochistan with the help of Rs 15 billion. He further said the water issue in Balochistan would also be solved for the welfare of the people.
The prime minister said that a meeting lasting for two hours was held to review Balochistan's security situation. He said that the security situation in the province had improved significantly. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the government would also transfer the province's tube-wells to solar energy. He said the meeting between him and the chief minister also focused on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects.
The prime minister said that he was not aware which dialogue PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was referring to but he said that political parties should remain in contact with each other. "Mr Zardari should be part of the dialogue process," he said. Abbasi refuted speculations that there were rifts or conflicts between institutions and the government. He said that the government would continue to defend state institutions.
Meanwhile, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has presided over a meeting of Balochistan authorities led by Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri on Saturday. He told the media following the sitting that a lot of decisions were taken today to tighten law and order situation. While briefing the media over details of the meeting, prime minister Abbasi said that as announced by former premier Nawaz Sharif, health card scheme would be branched out to the entire province. He said that different projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) were reviewed in the meeting.
He asserted that issues faced by the people in the province would be solved. Abbasi said that he was entirely sure that Balochistan would soon become the richest province of Pakistan. While talking about current political scenario, the premier said, that the political parties convene talks in light of the changing political situation in the country and former president Asif Ali Zardari should also be a part of the dialogue".
He reduced Zardari's statement to a mere politically charged statement as general elections 2018 are scheduled in the coming year. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would defend whatever reference is filed against Nawaz Sharif and that the people of Pakistan would give their verdict after June 4, 2018.