Sarfraz Bugti rules out talks with militants, vows peace and progress for Balochistan

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Sunday said his government stood with the oppressed, the families of martyrs, and law-enforcement personnel who have sacrificed their lives for peace in the province, 24NewsHD TV reported.

During the budget session of the provincial assembly, he delivered a wide-ranging speech highlighting his government's achievements in security, education, health, governance, and development.

He paid tribute to security forces and police officers, saying terrorists armed with weapons left behind after the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

The chief minister adopted a tough position against militancy, declaring that the government would not negotiate with those seeking to break the state of Pakistan.

However, he said the doors remained open for dialogue with individuals willing to operate within the framework of the Constitution.

He stressed that sustainable peace was essential for development and prosperity in Balochistan.

Bugti announced a 10 percent increase in the salaries of personnel serving in the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF), Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Operations Department (SOD).

He also revealed a 100 percent increase in grants for the families of martyrs, while compensation for civilian martyrs would be raised by Rs1 million.

In addition, employees of the provincial assembly, Civil Secretariat and Chief Minister’s Secretariat will receive one extra month's salary.

Highlighting progress in the education sector, the chief minister said around 15,000 schools had become operational across the province, while 370 schools remained closed due to planning mistakes made in the past.

He claimed that 14,000 teachers had been recruited and more than 720,000 students enrolled in schools, resulting in a decline in dropout rates.

He further announced that over 1,000 primary and middle schools were being upgraded.

In the health sector, Bugti said more than 2,800 personnel had been recruited, while the availability of emergency medicines had reached 94 percent.

He noted that no new polio case had been reported in Balochistan and announced that telemedicine services would soon be launched in more than 500 Basic Health Units (BHUs).

The chief minister also highlighted improvements in governance, claiming attendance in government offices had risen to 82 percent and that the provincial bureaucracy had successfully achieved its development targets.

He said over 6,000 development schemes had been completed during the past two years and emphasized that merit-based recruitment was being promoted across departments.

Speaking about technology and future reforms, Bugti announced plans for 100 percent recruitment through modern digital systems and greater use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in examinations and administrative processes.

He also revealed that a province-wide fiber-optic network would be expanded and a “People’s Train” service would be launched from August 14.

The chief minister further announced the construction of offices in more than 400 union councils and the installation of water filtration plants in every union council to improve access to clean drinking water.

At the beginning of his speech, Bugti paid tribute to Benazir Bhutto on her birth anniversary and praised the democratic traditions of Balochistan, saying criticism from the opposition had been taken positively as guidance.

 He also noted that the province's political culture remained more respectful compared to the confrontational scenes often witnessed in other legislative assemblies across the country.