Staff Reporter:
QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti emphasized the importance of keeping Baloch youths connected to the state, stating that while dissatisfaction with the government’s performance is understandable, alienation from the state itself is not an option. He made these remarks on Wednesday while addressing a ceremony for the distribution of educational scholarship cheaques to students under the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Scholarship Program, facilitated by the Balochistan Education Endowment Fund (BEEF).
Commitment to Youth Development
The Chief Minister announced the implementation of the Balochistan Youth Policy, designed to foster closer ties between the province’s youth and the state while providing ample opportunities for development. “This program aims to address the deprivations in the province by ensuring access to quality education. You all are the future of Balochistan and Pakistan, and we will expand this program further,” Bugti remarked.
Expanding Educational Opportunities
Under this initiative, the provincial government will sponsor higher education for 200 students in top universities worldwide. Additionally, the program has been expanded to include transgender individuals, with scholarships being distributed to 2,500 male and female students this year, an increase from the 1,200 scholarships awarded annually in the past.
Merit and Transparency in Jobs
CM Bugti also vowed to uphold merit and transparency in government jobs, urging the public to report any attempts to solicit bribes in exchange for employment. “If anyone asks for money for a job, make a video and send it to us immediately. We will take swift action to ensure that all jobs are awarded purely on merit,” he assured.
Inclusivity and Development Initiatives
The scholarship program has been broadened with five new categories, benefiting children of martyrs, minorities, transgender individuals, Ph.D. students abroad, and top-performing matric and intermediate students at the district level. The Chief Minister also highlighted ongoing efforts to solve public problems through development projects across all districts without discrimination, reiterating that democracy is about service delivery.
Ceremony Attendance
The event was attended by Provincial Ministers Mir Zahoor Ahmed Bilidi and Mir Asim Kurd Gilo, former Minister Roshan Khursheed Brocha, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Secretary Finance Babar Khan, CEO of Balochistan Education Endowment Fund Zakaria Khan Noorzai, along with a large number of students.
