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Arab News
3 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
PM Sharif announces 25% federal development share for insurgency-hit Balochistan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said Pakistan's restive southwestern province of Balochistan will receive 25% share from the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) in the upcoming budget, as the government continues to grapple with a decades-long separatist insurgency that has surged in recent years. Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but least populated province, is strategically significant as the centerpiece of the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major infrastructure development and regional connectivity initiative linking western China to the Arabian Sea. While the state touts CPEC as a game-changer for the region's development, Baloch separatist groups accuse the government of exploiting the province's vast mineral resources without benefiting the local population. Officials reject the narrative, pointing to ongoing investments in various sectors aimed at improving livelihoods. Sharif announced the allocation while addressing a grand jirga, an assembly of provincial elders and influential figures alongside top military leadership, in Quetta, where he reaffirmed the government's commitment to Balochistan's development. 'I think that PSDP will be of Rs1,000 billion [in the next budget],' he told the gathering. 'So, out of this [amount], a fund of approximately Rs250 billion is for Balochistan alone. That is, 25% of the total federal PSDP for Balochistan.' The PSDP is Pakistan's central development program used to fund infrastructure, energy, education and other long-term public investment projects across the country. It includes both federal initiatives and financial support for provincial projects, particularly in underdeveloped regions like Balochistan. The prime minister said the allocation was the province's 'right.' 'Along with this,' he continued, 'these resources should be used transparently, whether it is Gwadar, whether it is Pasni, whether it is Chaman, whether it is Killa Saifullah, whether it is Quetta, whether it is Jhal Magsi or any other areas,' he continued. 'Every single penny there should be used honestly for the development and prosperity of the people.' Addressing the challenge of militancy in the province, Sharif said efforts must continue to bring back 'misguided' individuals who had joined militant groups. He acknowledged Balochistan's history of economic deprivation, while reiterating that those engaged in violence offer no solutions. 'Terrorists do not know anything but brutality,' he said. Calling for national unity, Sharif maintained: 'Let's sit together and talk. It is only by sitting together that a family becomes strong and prosperous. No evil eye can harm a united household.'
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Death toll from Pakistan school bus bombing rises to 8 as Islamabad blames India
The death toll from a school bus bombing in southwestern Pakistan rose to eight on Friday after three more critically wounded children died, according to the country's military, which blamed rival India for allegedly supporting rebels behind the attack. The victims included two soldiers who were aboard the bus when it was attacked Wednesday in Khuzdar, a city in Balochistan province, where a separatist insurgency has raged for decades. A total of 53 people, including 39 children, were wounded in the attack. The children were going to their Army Public School when the bombing happened. Military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif said that several of the wounded children remain critical. He said an initial investigation suggested the bombing was carried out by insurgents from the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, which was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 2019, on India's instructions. Sharif said Pakistan had evidence that India is orchestrating 'terrorists attacks inside Pakistan" and the international community should take its notice. India has not responded to the allegation and Pakistan has presented no proof to back up its claim. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Tensions between India and Pakistan remain high after the two sides earlier this month engaged in a four-day border conflict before agreeing to a cease-fire.
CNA
20-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Taiwan President William Lai vows to protect island's security, industries
Taiwanese President William Lai has vowed to protect the island's security and industries, as it navigates ongoing tariff negotiations with the US and growing pressure from China. Mr Lai said preparing for war is the best way to avoid it, and to achieve the goal of peace. China's Taiwan Affairs Office has hit back, calling the leader a "separatist" and slamming his anniversary speech as a "two-faced tactic" that is "doomed to fail".
