Good news on NFC Award soon: Gilani

QUETTA - Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has declared the three districts of Balochistan including Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi and Nasirabad as 'calamity-hit areas which were badly affected due to heavy floods and announced Rs 500 million for the repair of roads in Nasirabad and Jaffarabad.
He made this announcement while addressing a gathering of elders in Rojhan Jamali on Tuesday after offering condolence on the demise of Mir Taj Muhammad Jamali, former Chief Minister Balochistan. He said that the federating units would soon hear good news about the National Finance Commission (NFC) award and added that President Asif Ali Zardari had already started contacts with the provinces and their cabinets for deciding and finalising the forthcoming award.
Earlier, Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani, Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi, provincial ministers and senior officials received the Prime Minister amid tight security. PM Gilani expressed condolence with former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali over death of Taj Muhammad Jamali.
He announced the PPP ticket for Mir Changhez Jamali, son of the deceased, for the bye-election on NA-266 and hoped that the political forces would also support him. The Prime Minister said that calamity-hit areas would be exempted from land revenue.
He said that Usta Mohammad, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi and nearby areas would be provided electricity and a sum of around Rs 500 million would be spent for this purpose. The Prime Minister announced a sum of Rs 500 million for repairs of roads in the area.
He said Benazir Bhutto had pledged ownership rights for farmers of the area during her last visit and directed the Chief Minister to take up the matter in the next meeting of cabinet. He also announced the reinstatement of the remaining employees of the National Bank of Pakistan and Customs in the area who were sacked during previous governments. The Prime Minister said that PPP believed in reconciliation in the country therefore government withdrew cases registered against political leaders in Balochistan and was making all-out efforts to address the miseries of Baloch people. I am optimistic that we will bring our Baloch brothers in mainstream national politics and the efforts in this regard will yield fruitful results, he added. He assured people of Balochistan that no drone attacks would be carried out in Balochistan.
Former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali, CM Aslam Raisani, Commerce Minister Amin Fahim, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan and other federal and provincial ministers were also present on the occasion.