Pakistan: Development of industries in Balochistan is moribund due to lack of incentives: Report

The development of the small-scale industries in Pakistan's Balochistan is moribund due to the lack of incentives, a lukewarm attitude of the government towards investment, and above all, the security situation, said Khaleeq Nazar Kiani in its report.

Khaleeq Nazar Kiani writing in The Frontier Post said "Some small-scale industries are functioning in the industrial estate Quetta, but the development is moribund, and no new factory has been established for quite some time. The new investment is jittery due to the lack of incentives, a lukewarm attitude of the Government towards investment, and above all, the security situation."

The author wrote that "in 2017, Enertec Company (a subsidiary of Kuwait Investment Company) decided to establish two solar power plants of 50 MW each in Quetta and Bostan. It got the generation license and tariff from NEPRA, which was the lowest in Pakistan, but then things struck up at the federal level, and the fate of the project is still hanging."

The author said that political leadership has no time to pursue such projects, which can bring long-term financial benefit and employment opportunities for the people.

"Sadly, our political leadership is busier on the social media front for the projection and has no time to pursue such projects, which can bring long-term financial benefit and employment opportunities for the people of the impoverished province," wrote Kiani.

The author said that Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ruling government and Balochistan Governments claims that China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects (CPEC) is a game-changer for Pakistan and especially Balochistan, but the reality is somewhat bitter, and expecting a sudden revolutionary change in the life of poor Balochistani will be like daydreaming.

"These days the Federal and Balochistan Governments are boasting in a much louder tone about alleviating the poverty in the province with big claims that CPEC is a game-changer for Pakistan and especially Balochistan. The previous Government has ignored Balochistan in the CPEC and the Federal PSDP. Now, the focus is Balochistan, and huge investment will change the economic and social landscape of the province. Special Economic Zones will be developed, and the Federal Government will spend 600 Billion to develop Southern Balochistan," Kiani stated.

Kiani further stated, "The reality is somewhat bitter, and expecting a sudden revolutionary change in the life of poor Balochistani will be like daydreaming. During Nawaz Sharif Government, USD 46 Billion projects were launched under the CPEC umbrella. Balochistan's share was approximately USD 3 billion for the development of Gawadar and about USD 1.5 billion private investment for the establishment of the Hub power plant. The rest of Balochistan was left without any constructive development plan but given many assurances with false promises."

"The people of Balochistan do not consider the development of the Gawader and the establishment of the Hubco power plant to their great benefit. The improvement in the infrastructure of Gawader is the compulsion of the Federal Government because, without Gawader, there will no Chinese interest and ultimately no CPEC. The Hubco project created some menial jobs for the locals of the area, but no significant economic and social change occurred," the author wrote.

"Finance Minister Shoukat Tarin, in his budget speech, proudly announced 600 billion infrastructure development schemes for southern Balochistan but allocated 20 billion in the current year, which is merely 3.5 percent of the estimated budget. With this quantum of allocation, the schemes will complete in decades. The decision-makers have to realize the truth that extreme inequality will hurt us all," wrote Kiani.

(ANI)

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