Suleman Hashim
Gwadar: President of Balochistan National Party (BNP), Sardar Akhtar Mengal, has said that his party will support any development project which has benefits for people of Balochistan and will resist all those development projects which are exploitative in nature.
He made this statement in a political gathering of BNP held in Sorgdal Football ground Gwadar, on Thursday.
“Our party is not against development and we will support any sort of development which is for us but any development which is meant to destroy our identity is not acceptable,” said Akhtar Mengal who had also served as former Chief Minister (CM) of Balochistan.
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He further said that it was claimed that Gwadar would be another Singapore and Dubai but today people of Gwadar do not have drinking water. Gas was discovered from Sui in 1952 and still today majority of Balochistan is deprived of Gas but it has been transported to villages of Punjab and mountains of Kashmir.
Any development which is meant to destroy our identity is not acceptable – Akhtar Mengal
BNP chief lamented that Prime Minister said recently in Gwadar that people have built many buildings in short period of time. The fact is that people of Gwadar have built those buildings by working in gulf or selling their inheritance land.
“Women in Ormara collect woods to use as fuel in their homes but Gas supply is disconnected in Punjab then it results in severe protests,” he said.
Former CM of Balochistan said that we do not want Dubai or Singapore like facilities in Gwadar but we want clean drinking water, health facilities and fishing rights and that’s it.
“Mr. Mengal suggested “In Singapore and Dubai the successful models of investment are based on partnership with the local population and same thing can be replicated in Gwadar.”
Talking about the need to amend laws to protect the local population of Gwadar from turning into a minority, Sardar Mengal said that General Zia ul Haq and General Musharraf can amend the constitution to prolong their rule but it can’t be changed for Baloch people.
In Singapore and Dubai the successful models of investment are based on partnership with the local population and same be replicated in Gwadar – Akhtar Mengal
He complained that a new primary school has been constructed in Gwadar, which can’t absolve government from its responsibilities towards people of Gwadar.
Sardar Mengal also complained that elected representatives of Gwadar in National and Provincial assembly who belong from BNP have not been consulted in development programs for Gwadar.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal also thanked all those people who resigned from other parties and joined BNP in the political gathering.
Senator Jehanzeb Jamaldini, MNA Essa Noori, MPA Hammal Kalmati, Zeenat Shahwani, Nazir Baloch of BSO and Aslam Buledi also addressed the political gathering.
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