• Says interim Afghan govt has failed to prevent its territory from being used for attacks against Pakistan
• Announces Rs300bn Karachi-Chaman dual carriageway, expansion of education, infrastructure and solar projects in Balochistan
• Inaugurates Sky47 AI Cloud facility in federal capital
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday again urged Afghanistan to take action against terrorist organisations and ensure that Afghan soil was not used for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
“Pakistan shares over 2,600-kilometre border with its neighbour and has repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to act against terrorist organisations and prevent Afghan territory from being used against Pakistan. However, the Afghan interim government has failed to take effective action against these groups,” the prime minister said while addressing the National Workshop on Balochistan.
The prime minister reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to providing all possible resources for the development and prosperity of Balochistan, saying Pakistan could only progress when all provinces advanced equally.
He announced that the Rs300 billion dual carriageway project from Karachi to Chaman would be completed within two years.
Punjab, he said, had contributed Rs150bn to Balochistan under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. He added that other provinces had to play their full role in supporting the Balochistan’s development.
The premier said Balochistan had been granted an additional 10 per cent quota in the distribution of laptops and scholarships, and that the Kachhi Canal Project would be completed on a fast-track basis.
He praised Balochistan’s contributions to Pakistan’s development and prosperity, saying its leadership had always placed the national interest above personal or political considerations and had wholeheartedly supported the federation.
He noted that farmers in Balochistan had suffered prolonged power outages for years. To address this issue, around 27,000 agricultural tube wells were being converted to solar energy under a Rs75bn project, to which the federal government had contributed Rs50bn.
He expressed deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Mastung Judge Abdul Hakeem Kakar and a security official, praying for the elevation of their ranks and for patience for their families.
The prime minister alleged that India was financing terrorism inside Pakistan.
He added that although terrorism had largely been eliminated by 2017-18, it later resurfaced through what he described as a highly organised conspiracy.
AI cloud centre inaugurated
Later, PM Shehbaz described the newly inaugurated AI and cloud computing facility as a landmark achievement for Pakistan, reflecting the country’s growing technological capabilities.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the country’s first-ever Sky47 AI Cloud centre, the prime minister praised the engineers, experts and institutions involved in the project and said the successful execution of the facility showcased the extraordinary talent available in both Pakistan’s military and civilian sectors.
Paying tribute to Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership, he said the project stood as a testament to what could be achieved when state institutions worked together with a shared national purpose.
The prime minister also acknowledged the contributions of Field Marshal Munir, the Ministry of Information Technology, the IT secretary and strategic technology partner ZTE for their roles in delivering the project.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Field Marshal Munir, federal ministers Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Attaullah Tarar, as well as senior government officials.
Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2026
