QUETTA: The Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, has said that ignoring Balochistan in matters of development is a national crime and we all are responsible for it.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of development projects completed in the Balochistan University and funded by the Higher E ducation Commission, he said Balochistan would be the top priority for PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif`s 2025 development vision.

The minister said all ongoing development projects initiated in the province would be completed in time with cooperation from the federal government. Mr Iqbal added that the government would make all efforts to give equal opportunities to the youth of Balochistan.

Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said the project would prove to be a game-changer for Pakistan, especially Balochistan.He said that out of $46 billion, $35bn would be spent on energyrelated projects. `This will go a long way in overcoming the energy crisis.

Mr Iqbal stated that 650-km-long Quetta-Gwadar road would be completed by December while construction of the Gwadar International Airport had already started. He added that a feasibility report for Quetta-Peshawar train service via Zhob had been prepared and the plan would be finalised for execution soon. `All the four provincialgovernments have been asked to prepare their plan for establishing industrial zones,` he said.

`Not even a minor change was made in the western route,` he said in reply to a question regarding reports about change of routes. The western route, he said, would be constructed according to the plan finalised. He said construction work on the Gwadar International Airport, Free Trade Zone and clean drinking water project was underway and would be inaugurated by the prime minister on completion.