Inaugural ceremony of Kasa Hill Marble Project Balochistan

[air marshal]

No military operation in Balochistan: COAS Kayani

QUETTA, Feb 21 (APP) - Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday said that their was no military operation being carried out in province of Balochistan, adding that peaceful and thriving Balochistan is conducive for a strong Pakistan.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Kasa Hill Marble Project to be run jointly by Pak Army and Provincial government, held here in Loralai district, he dispelled the impression that military operation has been launched in Balochistan.

“In view of protection of the Sui Military College , just one battalion of Army personnel has been deputed in Sui area, he said adding that Army was present only in cantonments.

Commander Southern Command Lt-Gen Javed Zia, Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani, MNAs Ministers, MPAs GOC 41 Div, IG FC, tribal notables and large number of local people were present on the occasion.

Stressing the need for bringing durable peace in Balochistan, General Kayani urged the public to help government in its measures for the restoration of peace in the province.

Pak Army is committed to extend its cooperation for the development of all sectors including health, education and agriculture, he added.
“The local people of Balochistan are the master of their fate and have the right over their resources, he reiterated.

While elaborating Army’s plan of action for the uplift of Balochistan, he noted that an institution is being established where the experts like Dr Samar Mubarak and others would equip the Baloch youth with the professional and technical education regarding the mines and mineral exploration and mining as multi- national companies and investors have to hire services of mines and mineral exploration related experts from other parts instead Balochistan because of non-availability of trained staff from this province

Balochistan is enriched with natural resources including mines and minerals and there is need to utilize them properly, he stressed.
The COAS Kayani emphasized the need that it was our collective responsibility to give our next generation a peaceful region adding that the patriot people of the province of Balochistan must cooperate with the government, Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps in their efforts to maintain peace in the province.

He expressed his gratitude for resolution of tribal conflicts on mines and minerals issue adding that initiating a beneficial marble project for the area by Pak Army and provincial government would be proved beneficial for local people.

“Kasa project is the continuation of Pak Army’s endeavors for the development of Balochistan in sectors including education, health and environment, he maintained.

He noted that in 2010 as many as 4000 Baloch youth were inducted in Pak Army and it has been planned to recruit more 5000 youth in prevailing year 2011.

In the field of education presently 23,322 students from Balochistan are studying in Army- run schools, over 4000 Baloch youth are getting benefit from Chamalang Beneficiary Education Program, while over 1700 students have been taught technical education in BITE, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, GOC Maj-Gen Zahid Lateef noted that economic potential of Kasa Marble Project is over one trillion rupees.

He added that marble to be extracted from Kasa project would be exported to China , Middle East and other countries.
Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani, Pashtoon tribes chief Nawab Ayaz Jogezai also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, COAS inaugurated the Kasa Marble Projected.

 

[air marshal]

 

[air marshal]

No PR49/2011-ISPR
Rawalpindi - February 21, 2011:

Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Zhob, Balochistan and inaugurated the ‘Kassa Hills Marble Project’, today. Chief Minister Balochistan, notables and large number of locals also attended the ceremony.

‘Kassa Hills Marble Project’ has been initiated by Pakistan Army with the cooperation of Provincial Government and locals of the area for social and economic development of Balochistan.

Chief of Army Staff in his address highlighted Army’s contributions in social progress of Balochistan. He specially mentioned Chamalang Education Programme, Sui Education City, Balochistan and Gwadar Institutes of Technical Education as well as Army’s drive enhanced recruitment from the province of Balochistan. Deliberate measures have been instituted to sustain these initiatives which are contributing positively towards better education and creation of job opportunities for common people of the Province. He thanked the locals and the Provincial Government for their whole hearted support. Chief Minister Balochistan appreciated Pakistan Army’s efforts for stability and development of the province.

It is worth mentioning here that ‘Kassa Hills Marble Project’ was discovered in early Nineties, excavation of marble reserves in Kassa Hills remained stalled due to intra tribal dispute. Army was requested for mediation by Government of Balochistan. After necessary negotiation, the conflict was resolved and Kassa Agreement was signed in July 2010. The Project is managed by a committee with representation of tribal elders, Government of Balochistan and Pakistan Army. Agreement guarantees fair distribution of income amongst the members of Alizai Tribe will help in social sector development of the area and Balochistan.

Earlier, on his arrival, Chief of Army Staff was received by Commander Southern Command, Lieutenant General Javed Zia.

 

[air marshal]

Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Chief Minister Balochistan during inauguration ceremony of ‘Kassa Hills Marble Project’, on Monday. (21-2-2011) – Photo ISPR

 

[air marshal]

 

[Mujeeb47]

Well Done Kiyani...

Pakistan Army has always played vital role in the prosperity and stability of Pakistan.

Pak Army is rendering significant services in NWFP , FATA and Balochistan.

More and more projects should be initialised in Balochistan with the consent of Baloch and Pushton people.

Pakistani Awam Pakistan ka sar utha howa dekhna chati hai.

 

[Xeric]

First Chamalang, now Kuru Kasa.

Guud going!

 

[Hammy007]

i would congratulate if the wealth would reach a common baloch and will not end up in chinese or american company or our government hands..

 

[Areesh]

i would congratulate if the wealth would reach a common baloch and will not end up in chinese or american company or our government hands..

In that you should study Chamalang project. After that project you shouldn't have any doubts that whether a common Baloch would be benefited from this project or not.

 

[Donatello]

In that you should study Chamalang project. After that project you shouldn't have any doubts that whether a common Baloch would be benefited from this project or not.

Enlighten me please. I do not know what you are trying to say.

 

[SQ8]

This could backfire as well..
Baloch groups could use this event to propagate the Army stealing resources.. after all.. jingoism works better than sense in our country.

 

[Aamir Hussain]

Exactly! However good the intentions, almost all public sector project get into trouble at one point in time or another -- Army should stay out of these sectors. Santro is right -- this is a potential area for negative publicity against the Army.

Public/Private partnership projects should be given a push by the government to exploit these projects. This is not the way to do it.

 

[Xeric]

This could backfire as well..
Baloch groups could use this event to propagate the Army stealing resources.. after all.. jingoism works better than sense in our country.

Santro i must say that you are wrong.

Chamalang project is already a success and todate no one has said anything regarding the Army 'stealing' the resources. The reason - well the Army is only there in supervisory role. That is to say initial work like getting the tribes together, pinning down the agreements, solving the disputes among tribe(s) and doing the sulla safai are few things the Army has been/is involved in.

The Army is never taken a pebble (may it be coal or marble) and would neither to it in the future. Currently the provision of security (that too in the form of recruits from local populace, better known has Levies - Chamalang Levies and in this case Kasa Levies), provision of i (to those who like to dick around) and making sure that the master plan is followed is the primary responsibility of the Army. The Army in a way deal with the collection of funds but there is ZERO involvement in managing the collected funds, that's too say the Army makes sure that the generated funds land up in the account of National bank of Pakistan, Quetta in their designated heads (the provincial govt head, the federal govt head, the contractor head etc).


@ ALL
BTW, i must tell you all that this project was started on the PERSONAL request of CM Balochistan. He personally requested the Army to provide assistance through a formal letter. If you people want i might get you the copy of that letter, only if people are not going to fcuk around with it/me!

 

[SQ8]

@Xeric..
can you make a Balochi believe that??.. after he has listened to his fellow Baloch about the project with a negative view? When he knows that his leaders..no matter how corrupt or criminal.. died at the hands of the PA?

Whats right.. and the Human Psyche's acceptance of it.. isnt easy.

 

[Areesh]

Enlighten me please. I do not know what you are trying to say.

Actually I meant that if some one has doubts that whether a common citizen is going to benefit from this project or not, than he should study Chamalang project. Pak Army not only took this project from scratch but today it is a complete success. Because of this project a common miner is earning 35000-40000 rupees per month. The standard of living has increased for the locals. The old conflict that existed between Baloch and Pushtoon tribes of Chamalang on this mine was also resolved by PA. Pak army has also built a school where the local children are acquiring education. So after the example of Chamalang, one should have no doubts about this Kasa hill project too.

Check this thread for more details about Chamalang project.

Chamalang The Gold Valley-Pak Army's gift to the Nation

Thanks.