ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday assured Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti that he will ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to allocate adequate funds for Kachhi Canal construction to overcome water shortage in Balochistan.

According to the Presidency, the president stressed the need for timely completion of the ongoing development projects of Balochistan and urged the provincial government to take proactive measures for the welfare of the masses of the province.

“Kachhi Canal is imperative for the development of Balochistan and I will talk to the prime minister for allocation of funds for the project,” Mr Zardari assured Mr Bugti.

According to an estimate, over 730,000 acres of land in the province will be irrigated through the canal project which is likely to be completed in one-and-a-half years.

President Zardari is taking a keen interest in the development of Balochistan and that was why he recently paid a day-long visit to the province and held meetings to get firsthand knowledge about the pace of development in the province.

In the backdrop of his recent visit, the President acknowledged that the provincial government had taken effective measures for the development and prosperity of the people of Balochistan and stressed the need for urgent completion of the Kachhi Canal with the federal government support to meet provincial water needs, boost agriculture, and to ensure food security.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2024