QUETTA: In a major push for financial transparency and efficiency, the Government of Balochistan has directed all its departments and autonomous bodies to implement a comprehensive digital financial management system.
Chairing a high-level review meeting, Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan emphasized that digitization would strengthen accountability and streamline operations. The meeting focused on integrating all provincial autonomous bodies with the Finance Department’s central digital platform.
A key directive mandates that all institutions must prepare and upload their budgets onto the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS). Subsequently, every financial transaction—including salaries, pensions, and development expenses—will be processed through this system. Payments will be routed via the State Bank of Pakistan’s micropayment gateway.
Furthermore, the government announced the rollout of the SAP-ERP system in selected institutions, including the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA), starting December 2025. These entities have been instructed to provide necessary HR and financial data for a timely implementation.
Director General of GDA, Moin-ur-Rehman Khan, who joined via video link, assured full compliance and cooperation with the new digital framework.
The Chief Secretary ordered all concerned bodies to take immediate practical steps and submit compliance reports within stipulated deadlines. The initiative aims to fully digitize all government-to-person and person-to-government payments across the province, marking a significant step toward modernized governance in Balochistan.
Meanwhile a senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader has petitioned the court to postpone the upcoming local government elections in Quetta, citing severe cold weather as a threat to the electoral process and public safety.
Haji Ali Madad Jatak, a PPP member of the Balochistan Assembly, stated in a public announcement that the extreme winter conditions in the provincial capital are severely disrupting daily life. He argued that holding elections now would impose undue hardship on polling staff, security personnel, and voters.
In this regard, the assistant advocate general told the court that the local government department had already submitted its report, clarifying the government’s position on the conduct of local government polls.
