Qaseem Shah:
Quetta – July 9, 2025: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has announced that future postings and transfers of officers will be strictly linked to their performance, marking a shift towards merit-driven governance in the province.
Chairing a high-level meeting of all administrative secretaries, the chief minister emphasized the need for urgent and structural reforms to ensure good governance and effective service delivery. “We will move forward with our reform agenda at all costs to restore public confidence in the system,” he said.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Shakil Qadir Khan, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hamza Shafqat, Additional Chief Secretary (P&D) Zahid Saleem, and heads of all key departments.
Bugti directed that 99% of technical approvals for all proposed and approved development schemes must be completed by July 25, ensuring that no time is wasted in the implementation of the new fiscal year’s projects. He highlighted that last year, the government set a historic record by utilizing development funds fully and on time—ending the perception of inefficiency or waste.
He underscored that each department must own its development projects, and monitoring units must work closely with the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team to ensure transparency, quality, and timely delivery of results.
Reaffirming his commitment to clean governance, CM Bugti cited the example of the solarization of agricultural tube wells, where payments were made directly to beneficiaries via the State Bank, eliminating middlemen and corruption.
The CM also stressed the importance of merit-based appointments, stating that no officer will need recommendations or personal influence for postings. Instead, performance will be the primary benchmark. “The tenure of an officer will be protected but linked to output,” he noted.
Speaking about youth, Bugti termed the Chief Minister’s Youth Skills Development Program as a cornerstone for Balochistan’s future and called for its rapid and effective execution.
He also called for activating District Development Committees to solve local problems efficiently and reiterated that every government initiative must revolve around the needs of the common man.
Bugti closed by reminding officers of their duty to work as a team: “Our real struggle is for the people of Balochistan — those who suffer extreme heat and cold. We must bring meaningful change that puts public service above all else.”
