Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani meeting with Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani in Quetta on Sunday. Federal Minister for Interior Senator A. Rehman Malik is also present on the occasion. – Online Photo

QUETTA: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said he hopes the efforts being made by the government will trace the missing people and help them to return to their homes.

At a meeting held here on Sunday on the law and order situation in Balochistan, he said he was satisfied with the progress made in recovering missing persons.

He said the government was ready to hold talks with angry Baloch leaders in order to restore peace in the province.

The prime minister said he would visit Balochistan every month to review the law and order situation and the pace of work on development projects.

The federal cabinet will hold its next meeting in Quetta and a federal minister will visit the provincial capital every week to meet people and solve their problems.

Speaking at the meeting, Interior Minister Rehman Malik accused outside forces of destabilizing the province.

The prime minister called for enhancing coordination between federal and provincial departments and timely completion of development schemes.

He said the federal government would pay Rs4 billion and the province Rs3 billion subsidy to farmers in Balochistan as subsidy for tube-wells.

He announced that the government would release Rs2 billion and the interior ministry Rs1 billion for the federal and provincial law-enforcements agencies to improve their performance.

He asked security agencies to maintain strict vigilance to prevent foreigners from illegally entering the country from Afghanistan.

PPI adds: The prime minister was informed that 41 of 144 missing people had returned to their homes, false cases against 38 had been withdrawn and several others had been traced.

He said federal law-enforcement agencies would train provincial police and Levies.

Opinion

Editorial

Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...
Tax amendments
Updated 20 Dec, 2024

Tax amendments

Bureaucracy gimmicks have not produced results, will not do so in the future.
Cricket breakthrough
20 Dec, 2024

Cricket breakthrough

IT had been made clear to Pakistan that a Champions Trophy without India was not even a distant possibility, even if...
Troubled waters
20 Dec, 2024

Troubled waters

LURCHING from one crisis to the next, the Pakistani state has been consistent in failing its vulnerable citizens....