Pakistan: Party delegation raises concern over neglect of Pashtun districts in development works

Nov 12, 2021

Balochistan [Pakistan], November 12 : A delegation of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party led by its provincial Vice President Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan had a meeting with Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo over the neglect of Pashtun districts in development works.
The delegation raised their concern that during the last three years Pashtun districts were continuously neglected in development works, according to Pakistan vernacular media, Express Daily.
The delegation said that the federal and provincial governments have reserved more than 600 billion rupees of funds for the development work in Sothern districts but Pashtun districts are completely neglected.
At present all Pashtun districts are in dire need of big projects including highways and construction of dams to store water, said the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party delegation.
CM Bizenjo assured the delegation that all problems of the Pashtun belt will be solved on a priority basis. He will take everyone with him for the development of the province, reported Express Daily.
Balochistan is a resource-rich but least developed province of Pakistan where a movement for freedom has been ongoing for the past several decades. Many Balochs believe that the region was independent before 1947 and was forcibly occupied by Pakistan.
Recently, fighting between the Pakistan security forces and Baloch insurgents have intensified in the region.
In its 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights, the US State Department has highlighted significant human rights issues in Pakistan, including unlawful or arbitrary killings by the government and forced disappearance of Pashtun, Sindhi and Baloch human rights activists.