ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday ordered release of Rs2.5 billion for Balochistan province, says an official statement. Out of this amount, Rs1.5 billion will be used for deferment of debt services and Rs1 billion will be an interim increase in subventions to help the cash-strapped province meet its financial requirements.

The decisions were taken at a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s House. The meeting was presided over by Mr Aziz and attended by Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, Finance Minister Omar Ayub Khan, adviser to the prime minister on finance Dr Salman Shah and others.

The prime minister also constituted a team, comprising officials of economic division and headed by Mr Khan, which will go to Quetta on Monday to review financial position of the Balochistan government.

The team will hold wide-ranging discussions with the provincial authorities and submit its report to the prime minister, Shaukat Aziz, which will include recommendations to ensure an improvement in financial position of the provincial administration.

The prime minister will discuss the report in the next such meeting and make final decisions.

The team will also review development projects of Balochistan and suggest measures to increase living standard of its populace and development of its natural resources.

Speaking at the meeting, the chief minister thanked the prime minister and the federal government for taking steps to improve financial position of his province.