Balochistan needs to come up to its full investment potential.

• Author: Fazl-E-Haider, Syed
• Position: Balochistan, Pakistan's development

Byline: Syed Fazl-E-Haider

Most depressed Balochistan needs foreign and local investment to develop its economic sectors. The businessmen hesitate to invest due to the lack of development infrastructure and law and order problem in the province. There are greater investment opportunities in all sectors of provincial economy. The provincial government should improve security situation and create an environment through announcement of attractive incentives for seeking foreign investment particularly in horticulture, livestock, fisheries and mining.

The province is rich in natural resources, but it is still underdeveloped region. For its huge mineral endowments, the province is known as museum of minerals. There is a lot of potential for development in the livestock and dairy sectors, as the province can earn a substantial amount of income by exporting the products in these sectors to the lucrative markets in the food deficit region - Afghanistan and Central Asia. It has tremendous potential for development of horticulture, particularly the fruit farms. The land along coastal belt has enormous potential for development of shrimp farming and processing projects, which can play a vital role in fisheries development in the province.

Balochistan makes up 70 percent of Pakistan's total coastal belt. According to an estimate, 60 species of fish and 10 of shrimps, including the best in the world, are found in the province. The shrimp farming projects would not only earn huge foreign exchange for the country but also prosper the local fishermen by providing them a constant source of income. The local fishermen have no processing plant for preservation of their catch. The fish cage-culture system in reservoirs and dams needs to be introduced besides introduction of total quality management system for export competitiveness. The province has an ideal land and suitable conditions for shrimp farming. New hatcheries should be set up in coastal districts like Lasbella and Makran for shrimp production as viable business ventures. The provincial government should allot lands in coastal districts of Lasbella and Makran to private parties interested in promoting shrimp farming.

Government should announce incentives for induction of the private sector in this field, as the interested entrepreneurs and investors can play a key role in promoting the shrimp farming in coastal areas purely on the commercial basis.

Serious efforts need to be directed for bringing...