PM vows to mainstream Baloch youth

The PM admitted past neglect of the region had fuelled troubles. Unrest and sectarian strife plague the province bordering Iran and Afghanistan and previous plans to give it greater autonomy and inject more money into the area have failed to fix its problems.Gilani said 20,000 jobs in Balochistan would be created through a range of development projects as he spoke at a passing out parade for nearly 5,000 army recruits from the area.Balochistan was neglected in the past which triggered a sense of deprivation. Our government has planned to provide 20,000 jobs for the youth of this province, Gilani said at the ceremony.Gilani said that his government would create employment through various projects including building colleges, water supply schemes and an IT university.He also announced a six percent employment quota in some federal government departments and the introduction of 3,000 jobs in the tribal police for Balochistan residents.But previous attempts at regional reform have failed to raise the sparsely populated area from poverty and conflict.In November 2009, the government announced a special package of reforms in a bid to defuse separatist sentiment in Balochistan.The measures included an increase in the provincial budget as well as constitutional, administrative, political and economic reforms in a bid to grant the province more independence.But there is dispute over how much of the deal ever came to fruition. The government in an officially sponsored newspaper advertisement claimed that 85 percent of the package had been implemented.Gilani decribed prosperity for Balochistan as a top priority for his government and urged dissidents to shun violence.Some people have chosen the path of terrorism and are bringing the country and Islam into disrepute. They should come to the path of peace, he said.