The process to empower Balochistan’s local population was under way as the Mari Petroleum Company Limited has completed several projects worth Rs74.3 million in the areas of Bolan, Quetta, Dera Murad Jamali, and Hernai.

Such projects include initiatives related to health, education, water supply, electricity and gas supply, and strengthening the infrastructure. The Pakistan Army and FC Balochistan (North) ensured the security of such projects.

“We have distributed 45 houses among the deserving individuals,” MPCL’s Regional Manager Intesab Naseer told Aaj News while speaking about the large-scale human and financial losses incurred because of the floods in the province.

The MPCL senior official stated that 150 to 200 people have been employed across all the company’s fields, alleviating their economic difficulties.

Residents of Mach and Abegum stated that they were getting the benefits of the resources extracted from Balochistan. They added that the Baloch people were being provided with education and development opportunities and they have also been given houses.

These accounts of the local people receiving the benefits of Balochistan’s natural resources “refute the propaganda that the province’s resources were not being utilised for the welfare of its people.”