QUETTA : The Chief Secretary of Balochistan, Shakeel Qadir Khan, assured a delegation of senior journalists on Monday that the provincial government is prioritizing transparent governance, timely project completion, and effective service delivery across all sectors.
During a wide-ranging meeting, discussions covered the political, social, and economic landscape of the province, with a focus on the budget, development initiatives, and recruitment in key departments. The Chief Secretary emphasized that public welfare is the cornerstone of the current administration’s agenda.
Detailing specific achievements, Khan stated that the education and health sectors received special priority in the current fiscal year. He reported that a merit-based recruitment drive has led to the hiring of 14,000 teachers, activating 98% of schools. In the health sector, 184 Basic Health Units (BHUs) have been fully activated with necessary staff, medicines, and equipment to improve rural healthcare.
On development projects, the Chief Secretary informed that a modern monitoring system has been introduced to ensure transparency and timely completion, which he stated is vital for building public trust. He highlighted the Balochistan Sustainable Development Initiatives (BSDIs), a district-coordinated program encompassing over 900 projects in infrastructure, health, and education across 35 districts, with 100 already completed.
Regarding law and order, Khan said steps are being taken to modernize the police force with new technology, weapons, and training, noting that the integration of Levies forces has improved the situation. For economic stability, he mentioned an enterprise development program aimed at providing employment to 60,000 youth in six districts and a collaboration with Akhuwat to provide loans to 12,000 young people.
Meanwhile the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) has strongly condemned the eleventh-hour postponement of the long-awaited local government elections in Quetta, terming it an “unconstitutional” act that deprives citizens of their fundamental right to representation.
In a sharply worded statement issued on Sunday, the HDP expressed profound regret over the decision, stating there was “no justification” for delaying the polls when all preparations were complete, political activities had been ongoing for a month, over a hundred candidates had already been elected unopposed, and only three days remained until election day. The party highlighted that the citizens of Quetta have been without local government representatives for an entire decade.
