Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated calls for the interim Afghanistan government to take action against terrorist organizations on their soil, as he asserted that India’s role in terrorism within Pakistan was “absolutely” clear.
“Pakistan shares over 2,600-kilometer border with its neighbor and has repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to act against terrorist organizations and prevent Afghan territory from being used against Pakistan,” he told the National Workshop in Balochistan. “However, the Afghan interim government has failed to take effective action against these groups,” he regretted.
Lamenting that India was sponsoring terrorism inside Pakistan, he called on the nation to confront the threat collectively. He maintained Balochistan’s leadership had always set aside personal interests to support the federation, while its people had played a key role in the creation of Pakistan.
Reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to providing all possible resources for the development and prosperity of Balochistan, he said Pakistan could only progress when all provinces advanced equally. He vowed that the Rs. 300 billion dual carriageway project from Karachi to Chaman would be completed within two years.
He also noted that Punjab had contributed Rs. 150 billion to Balochistan under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, adding other provinces had to play their full role in supporting Balochistan’s development. He said the province had received an additional 10% quota in the distribution of laptops and scholarships, and that the Kachhi Canal Project would be completed on a fast-track basis.
Acknowledging that farmers in Balochistan had suffered prolonged power outages for years, he said the issue would be addressed with the conversion of around 27,000 agricultural tube wells to solar energy under a Rs. 75 billion project. The federal government has contributed Rs. 50 billion of this amount, he added.
Sharif also expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Mastung Judge Abdul Hakeem Kakar and a security official, praying for the elevation of their ranks and for patience for their families. He regretted that though terrorism was largely eliminated by 2017-18, it had resurfaced once more through a “highly organized” conspiracy.
In his address, the prime minister praised the contributions made by Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in mediating between the U.S. and Iran. He claimed Pakistan’s diplomacy for regional peace was being recognized globally.
A.I. Cloud Center
Also on Friday, Sharif inaugurated the country’s first Sky47 A.I. Cloud Center, describing it as a landmark achievement for Pakistan, reflecting the country’s growing technological capabilities.
He praised the engineers, experts and institutions involved in the project and said the successful execution of the facility showcased the extraordinary talent available in both Pakistan’s military and civilian sectors.
Paying tribute to Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership, he said the project stood as a testament to what could be achieved when state institutions worked together with a shared national purpose.
The prime minister also acknowledged the contributions of Field Marshal Munir, the Ministry of Information Technology, the I.T. secretary and strategic technology partner ZTE for their roles in delivering the project.