Chief Minister Balochistan Quddus Bizenjo said on Tuesday that the Balochistan government is struggling to meet financial ends. He said the coffers are empty, and the government cannot pay salaries to its employees this month.
Bizenjo expressed frustration with the federal government, saying that the prime minister is aware of the situation, but the relevant revenue department is not taking any measures to address the problem. He said that he was “surprised” at the centre’s “verbal policies” but lack of practical steps. He said that flood-stricken communities throughout Balochistan are still waiting in frigid weather for rehabilitation.
The chief minister further said that various development projects in Balochistan have come to a standstill as the provincial government cannot pay for them. He said that if the centre grants Balochistan its due financial resources, the provincial government would redress many of the problems.
Bizenjo asked the prime minister to come to Quetta with a professional team and assess the economic situation. He said that the PM has visited flood-stricken areas of Balochistan and is well aware of the situation there.
The chief minister further said that the economic situation of Balochistan is worsening. The federal government is aware of the economic condition, but it is not taking any practical steps to redress the issues. He said that such negligence breeds a sense of alienation.
Bizenjo said that we are not “begging” for money, but asking for our due share of resources under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. The NFC works out a resource distribution formula to allocate resources between the centre and federating units.