QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti reiterated on Wednesday that upcoming local body elections in Quetta district should be postponed to align with a forthcoming, stronger local government law.
Speaking to media after an assembly session, Bugti argued that with the term of current local bodies ending in nine months, holding elections now is unjustified. “Holding elections for the Quetta Metropolitan Corporation will be an unnecessary practice,” he stated. He emphasized that polls should be conducted under the new legislation, which is being finalized to create a “more effective” local government system.
The Chief Minister also addressed the contentious issue of creating new provinces, stressing the need for “complete consensus at the national level.” He asserted that new provinces should be formed based on administrative necessity, not linguistic or religious lines.
On law and order, Bugti reported significant gains in the counter-terrorism campaign, claiming 700 terrorists were killed in intelligence-based operations this year. He attributed the earlier rise in terrorism to the 2018 release of jailed militants and the availability of abandoned American weaponry from Afghanistan. “Terrorism incidents declined during the current year, and they will further reduce in 2026,” he projected.
Regarding the severe water crisis and drought, Bugti cited climate change and insufficient rainfall as the primary causes. “I am not responsible for it,” he said, noting Balochistan’s limited resources. He revealed plans to consult international agencies for climate adaptation projects, acknowledging that the province’s Rs. 200 billion development program cannot alone meet this vast challenge.
Meanwhile in a sharp critique of the provincial administration, Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani, the Chief of Sarawan and former Chief Minister of Balochistan, has condemned the frequent transfer of deputy commissioners as a glaring example of “bad governance” that undermines public service.
Speaking to the media outside the Balochistan Assembly on Wednesday, the seasoned political leader dismissed official claims of good governance. “Government officials take pride in their good governance, but we laugh at it,” Raisani stated, highlighting a disconnect between official rhetoric and ground reality.
