Balochistan’s governance structure being ‘streamlined’ through multiple initiatives: PM

QUETTA: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that the governance structure of Balochistan was being streamlined through multiple initiatives taken by government including reforms in bureaucracy.

Addressing a press conference in Quetta on Tuesday, he said that deputing a blend of upright and hard-working bureaucrats from civil service as well as from the provincial structure was vital to resolve the chronic and complex issues faced by the province.

Anwaar-ul-Haq said, “Our issues are linked with the bad governance, that had been badly affecting the performance of the province for the last few decades”. On the request of the Balochistan government, he deputed a competent bureaucrat Shakeel Qadir Khan along with a team, to ensure meritocracy and to streamline the overall structure of bureaucracy.

The Prime Minister said he specifically instructed the team to fully support the Chief Minister and the provincial government in this regard.

There was an axis of some corrupt bureaucrats and other stakeholders who had crumpled the whole province, thus adversely affecting the national economy, he noted.

He hoped that the incoming elected government would also remain vigilant in this regard and would continue the process of reforms in future.

To a question regarding reservations of the nationalist parties to hold free and fair elections in the province, the Prime Minister said it was just a routine matter as these parties had something to say to their voters.

Reiterating the government’s resolve to hold free and fair elections across the country, he said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would perform its duty to conduct the elections in an appropriate way.

“It is our task that we run the day-to-day affairs of the government, implement the state affairs, and then conduct the election,” he said.

Responding to a question about the projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Prime Minister said the caretaker setup did not have the mandate to initiate new projects however he was trying his best to allocate funds for the Quetta-Khuzdar dual carriageway section. He hoped to get the finances for project by the next month.

He said that the children should be given skilled training and the government was ready to provide thousands of skilled trainings.

To another question about complaints of some aspirants, he said the government would never allow some people to take bribes for giving government jobs adding recent posts announced in the province had been, cancelled.

As regards, the Internet service in Balochistan, the Prime Minister said this would be resolved in a month or two after completing the project of the firewall.

Asked if he would join any political party after his tenure, he said he had no intention to join any political entity.

PM Kakar informed the Pinjra Pull would be operational by the end of February or early March 2024.

To another question, he said the Balochistan province had been given the exemption from the government’s recent decision to curtail gas supply.