Jam Kamal vows to dedicate new Balochistan CM houses for public use

Newly elected Balochistan chief minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani has vowed to use the two CM houses in Quetta and Hanna Orak for public purpose instead of using it himself.

In an interview with DawnNewsTV, Jam Kamal said: "A second 16-room CM house is being constructed behind the current CM house at a cost of Rs650 million. Then another is being built in Hanna Orak at a cost of Rs460m. There was no need for such big houses.

"More than a billion rupees were spent on their constructions. We will use it for the benefit of the people."

He identified "governance" as the biggest problem of Balochistan. "Capable people were ignored [but we] are now investigating people involved in corruption and removing them from important positions."

The Balochistan CM said he would fix the education and health sectors of the province by the way of meritocracy. "Where there are students, there are no schools, and where there are both, the teachers are absent," he said. "In the education department there will be 10,000 appointments on merit.

"There are no [decent] hospitals in Balochistan either. We are working to resolve this. We will fulfill the needs of our doctors so they could perform their duties."

'Will address real issues'

Jam Kamal said that instead of having dialogues with estranged leaders "who use Balochistan's lack of progress for political gains", he would instead use his term to address the real issues.

"Those who have done politics on the basis of Balochistan's deprivations have done nothing practical," he said. "Dr Malik and Sanaullah Zehri wasted their time in having dialogues with such people. Instead of doing the same, we will address the real issues of Balochistan."

The CM said that if he would talk with estranged leaders, then he would so "with only those who acknowledge Pakistan and its Constitution. We will not talk to people working on external agendas."

However, he said that dialogue is the way to go in Pakistan's legal battle with Chilean mining company Antofagasta plc over the Reko Diq mining lease disagreement.

"If we lose the case and are handed a fine of $10 billion then it would be difficult for the federal and Balochistan governments to pay it," he said. "The Balochistan govt has already paid Rs350m to lawyers for this case. We will try and resolve the matter through negotiations."