India is the biggest loser in Afghanistan, says PM Imran

GWADAR: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that once the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, the situation in the region will take a serious turn and India is going to be the "biggest loser."

Speaking to the media in Gwadar, he said that even the US itself is at a loss regarding what is going to happen next.

Ending its longest war abroad, the US has wrapped up its 20-year military offensive in Afghanistan and its military is in the process of completing a withdrawal from the country. They are set to complete their pullout well ahead of the September 11 deadline set by President Joe Biden.

"At the time, India faces the biggest problem in Afghanistan," said Imran Khan.  "India has its billions of dollars invested in Afghanistan — a country where the situation is extremely intricate."

PM Imran Khan also said India is involved in terrorism, adding that there is clear-cut evidence indicating India's involvement in recent terrorism in Lahore.

Pakistan has a very clear standpoint in connection with Afghanistan and still stands by it, Imran Khan said. 

"There is no military solution to the Afghan problem. The Afghan parties will decide the future of their country," he stressed.

Unless the world pays attention to Afghanistan, more bloodshed will ensue, he warned.

'Past rulers prioritised their political objectives'

Earlier in his address to a gathering of local elders, Imran Khan assured them that the federal government would enhance its contribution to the development of the province every year. He decried that the past rulers had prioritised their political objectives, always putting the development and progress of Balochistan on the backburner. 

“They did not pay attention to Balochistan province and focused solely to become prime minister of the country. They preferred to live in London and spent time during the summer season,” he said in an apparent reference to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The prime minister said Nawaz Sharif made 24 visits to the United Kingdom during his tenure, out of which 23 were private trips.

"He did not bother to come to Balochistan whereas Asif Zardari had been to Dubai 51 times," the premier pointed out. 

The prime minister further said that the one who thought of Pakistan would always focus on its backward areas, especially Balochistan.

On the contrary, the previous ruling elite focused on winning elections and preferred to contest from Faisalabad with multiple constituencies, instead of coming to Balochistan, he said.

Due to their objectives, different areas like the merged tribal areas and Balochistan lagged in terms of progress and prosperity, he added.

“It was our great misfortune. If they had paid attention to the whole country, they might have continued as rulers of the country,” he observed.

The prime minister said the country could achieve progress when there was simultaneous and uniform progress, across the board.

The residents of Balochistan province had a sense of deprivation due to continuous neglect, he added.

Moreover, neither the Centre nor the political leadership of the province, in the past, paid due attention to the plight of people, leading to a widespread sense of deprivation, he said.

The incumbent federal government, the prime minister said, had announced the biggest uplift package for the province because injustice had been done with the people of Balochistan in the past, adding its contribution towards Balochistan province, would be increased in their financial resources.

He said that the government was focusing on Gwadar uplift with a string of development projects, including setting up of desalination plant and construction of a 300-bed teaching hospital.

To fully protect the fishermen and improve their conditions, Rs10 billion was allocated under the Kamyab Nauwjawan programme and out of which so far, Rs5 billion had been spent.

About the construction of low-cost housing units, the prime minister said, the government had received a total of 4,000 applications from the area and had identified 200 acres of land over which initially 2,500 houses would be constructed.

The prime minister further said that Ehsaas scholarships would be given to 4,698 young people of the province.

Additionally, the federal government was committed to providing 3G and 4G Internet connectivity throughout the province which would create huge jobs opportunity for all, especially the womenfolk.

He said China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would bring the biggest benefits to the people of Balochistan and inhabitants of Gwadar.

The prime minister said there was a complete ban on illegal fishing through big trawlers.