QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday announced that Balochistan will be allocated Rs250 billion in the national development budget for the fiscal year 2025–26. Addressing the Balochistan Grand Jirga in Quetta, he stressed that the funds must be utilised transparently and efficiently to deliver tangible improvements in the province.
He lauded the armed forces for their decisive response to India’s recent cross-border aggression on May 6–7, describing it as a brief but historic victory under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Calling it a moment of national pride, Shehbaz said the operation “avenged 1971” and thanked the people of Balochistan for standing shoulder to shoulder with the military.
The premier praised Balochistan’s unwavering commitment to Pakistan since independence, noting that its elders were among the first to support Quaid-e-Azam. Acknowledging the province’s longstanding grievances, he emphasised the importance of resolving issues through mutual respect and dialogue, stating, “If there are any complaints, let us address them together, as equals.”
He also recalled that in 2010, Punjab had voluntarily surrendered Rs11 billion from its NFC share to accommodate Balochistan’s demand for fair resource distribution. Highlighting development efforts under former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he said recent savings of Rs1.5–2 billion from declining global oil prices will now be used to upgrade the N-25 highway, infamously known as the “bloody road” due to frequent accidents.
Concluding his remarks, Shehbaz declared that economic development cannot coexist with terrorism. He pledged that his government would not tolerate any economic or social injustice against Balochistan. Urging national unity, he called on all stakeholders to collaborate in rehabilitating misguided individuals, ensuring lasting peace, and unlocking the province’s true potential for investment and progress.
