TAXILA, April 28: Federal Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Ghulam Sarwar Khan says the government wants to see Balochistan as a developed and prosperous province and in this regard it has allocated 56 per cent of the country’s GDP.

He was speaking as chief guest at a meeting of Gwadar builders association held at a local hotel here. Balochistan Minister for Commerce and Industries Abdul Ghafoor Lehri was also present on this occasion.

The minister said that development of Balochistan was a top priority of the government that’s why it had allocated huge funds for provision of health, education and sanitation facilities in the province.

Sarwar Khan said that the government had allocated Rs15 billion for the execution of Gwadar deep-sea port project. He said that the generous allocation of funds could be gauged from the fact that President Musharraf had given a cheque for Rs1.50 billion to the Kohlu district nazim for provision of basic facilities in the district.

The minister said that Gwadar city was emerging as a hub of trade in South Asia and in the coming years it would become the economic backbone of the country due to its 800 kilometre-long beach and vast deep-sea port.

He said some elements wanted to establish a state within the state but the government would establish its writ at all costs. He said that damaging of national installations would not be tolerated and the elements creating law and order situation in the province would be taken to task.

He said Gwadar project could not be completed by December due to sabotage and terrorist acts. Mr Khan said that the masses had ousted the previous rulers, as they had failed to come up to their expectations.