Thread by @peconomist_

BALOCHISTAN – A NEED FOR INTROSPECTION?
A 🧵

There is a popular perception that Balochistan is given less funds as compared to other provinces.
In order to make a rational judgment on this, we must consider few facts.

#Balochistan_Pakistan_Ka
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#SupremeCourt

Balochistan is the largest province by area, but it has lowest population (See census data) in comparison to other provinces.

If we consider per capita allocation of funds, In FY 22/23 Balochistan has highest allocation Rs 59,696 per person as compared to other provinces
• Punjab – Rs 19,700 (3 times less)
• Sindh – Rs 22,901 (2.6 times less)
• KP – Rs 23,361 (2.5 times less)

The same trend of highest per capita allocation of budget is consistently visible in Balochistan over last 2 decades (from FY 2003 -2023)
• Per capita budget of Balochistan was on the average 3.5 times more than Punjab
• On the average 2.5  times more than Sindh

• On the average 3 time more than KP

In addition to financial allocation by Federal Government, Pakistan Army has also made meaningful contributions for socio economic development of people of Balochistan.

912 Quick Impact Projects were executed in complete province costing over Rs 1.6 billion with focus on provision of water, health, education & employment opportunities.

Major aspects of these projects include:
• 510 clean drinking water supply schemes
• Education facilities for approx 60,000 children through 157 schools, 9 Cadet colleges, 2 universities and 3 technical training institutions.

• 5 x Combined Military Hospitals in (Quetta, Loralai, Khuzdar, Zhib and Sibbi) treating approx 10,000 patients on monthly basis
• Treatment of approx 60,000 patients in far flung areas through 650 free medical camps since 2016.

Through military diplomacy UAE – Pakistan assistance program funds of Rs 14 billion were acquired for execution of following projects:
• Operationalization of Sheik Muhammad Bin Zahid Al Nayan Institute of Cardiology in Quetta, first of its kind in Balochistan

• Major renovation / uplift of DHQ Hospitals at Awaran, Zhob, Khuzdar and Panjgur
• Dates Processing Plant at Panjgur (Tamr-e-Pajgur), producing upto 1500 tons of premium quality dates extending maximum opportunities to local farmers.

The secure environment provided by Pakistan Army has enabled unprecedented infrastructure development in Blaochistan under South Balochistan Development Package and CPEC. The major facilities include following:
• More than 1500 kms of road infrastructure..

..in Balochistan (including Makran Coastal highway)  
• Extension of electricity facilities from 12% to to 57% of Balochistan.
• Water Desalination plant in Gawadar.
• Storage facilities of 5 lakh MAF of water.
• Construction of border markets in Chaman and Kech.

Indeed Pakistan is economically challenged with less resources at its disposal.
Despite this limitation, Balochistan has seen substantial financial allocations and socio-economic development efforts.

This effectively debunks the myth of deprivation of Balochistan proving this assertion wrong that Islamabad has usurped its resources.  
If at all statistics are relied upon it seems that Punjab is the deprived province with least per capita budget allocation.

Therefore, the issue in Balochistan is not lack of funds or resources, it is indeed mismanagement and corruption that has deprived the people of Balochistan.

There is a need for introspection in Balochistan.

Question to be asked by civil society and people of Balochistan from judiciary and affiliated departments:
• Why despite being given maximum per capita funds the people in Balochistan still lack access to basic resources?

@OfficeSenate
@Senator_Baloch
@ZahoorBuledi

• Who is responsible for plight of people of Balochistan?
• Who should be held accountable for this mismanagement?  

@KhurramDehwar
@hamzashafqaat
@PakSarfrazbugti

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