Manage corporate growth in Balochistan.

Balochistan has been lacking a corporate culture and hence it witnessed a meager corporate growth over the past many decades if compared with other provinces. Surprisingly, Balochistan witnessed a record corporate growth during the fiscal year 2010-11. The total companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Company Registration Office in Quetta crossed the 1,000 mark. The analysts consider it a milestone in the corporate growth history of Balochistan, reflecting the progressive development of a corporate culture in the province. The credit for unprecedented corporate growth in Balochistan goes to the SECP that undertook substantial reforms and facilitative measures over the years to promote corporatization in the country. Corporatization will help boost economic development of Balochistan. It will create enormous job opportunities for the local youth.

There is a need to formulate a cohesive strategy to target sustainable, widespread and cross-sectoral growth and integated economic development in the province.

With a strategic location in the region and having vast untapped natural resources, diversity of climate, simultaneously five ecological zones, fisheries and strategic mineral resources, Balochistan has the potential to emerge as Pakistan's new economic frontier. It is endowed with rich reserves of gas, oil, lead, zinc, iron, marble, coal, gold and copper. The province is home to half of the country's estimated gas reserves of 200 trillion cubic feet, as about 100 trillion cubic feet, according to one estimate, are found in the province. Sui gas field in Bugti tribal area accounts for a quarter of the country's total output. Reko Diq copper and gold deposits in Chagai are believed to be even bigger than Sarcheshmeh in Iran and Escondida in Chile. It is one of the biggest untapped copper deposits on the globe. Balochistan has immense potential in corporate sector, which needs to be tapped efficiently. Gwadar, a port city and now the winter capital of the province may be developed as a business corporate hub.

The port is still non-functional. It still lacks road and rail connectivity and its usage has so far been restricted to bulk cargo such as wheat and urea.

Lack of human capital is a major constraint in growth of corporate culture. The province is technologically backward and economically least developed. It is rich in natural resources but with stagnant human resources. The province lacks the...