QUETTA: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday reiterated that progress and prosperity of Balochistan province and its people were among the top priorities of the incumbent government.

He further resolved to put Balochistan on path of progress and prosperity and expressed to play their due role in the stability of Pakistan.

The president was addressing at a banquet hosted by Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti in his honour, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.

The president said that Balochistan had a unique significance owing to its mineral resources and long coastal strip.
He said the world was achieving rapid progress and stressed upon exploration of natural resources in the provinces through modern techniques.

He said that they would strive to turn the barren lands of the province into cultivable through effective mechanism of irrigation so that it could produce enough yield.

The 18^th Amendment was adopted during their previous tenure in government which was aimed at the national development and ensuring provincial rights and which had largely benefited all provinces, he opined.

The president observed that the province was gifted with oil and gas reserves but they had not incorporated the latest trends in this sector, adding there was still time to tap these natural resources for meeting the economic requirements of the country.

About Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), he said that the poor, low income and deserving families were being benefited from the package and hinted at expansion of such like programmes.

The president expressed his desire to work for the progress and prosperity of the entire country and especially for Balochistan province and its people.

He also assured the provincial government of all out support so that it could create development opportunities for the inhabitants and also stressed upon resolution of all issues through political dialogue.