QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has reaffirmed his government`s commitment to pushing forward comprehensive reforms, saying sustainable governance and effective service delivery are no longer optionalbutessentialforrestoring public confidence in government institutions.

Presiding over a high-level meeting of administrative secretaries from all departments here on Wednesday, the chief minister stressed that serious and consistent efforts are being made to improve the system.

`We will continue this momentum. The government has complete confidence in the professionalism and capabilities of its hardworking officers,` he said.

The meeting was attended by Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, additional chief secretary (Home) Hamza Shafgaat, additional chief secretary (Development and Planning) Zahid Saleem, chairman of the chief minister`s inspection team Muhammad Ali, and secretaries of various provincial departments.

Mr Bugti directed all departments to take ownership of their development schemes, emphasising that the real responsibility for these projects lies with the respective departments and their leadership. He said the government would ensure strict monitoring to maintain transparency and efficiency in all development initiatives, including federally and foreign-funded projects.

Highlighting a key achievement, he said: `Last fiscal year, we made history by utilising the development budget efficiently and ontime, which helped dispel the negative perception of wasted or misused funds in Balochistan.

The chief minister acknowledged that while an ideal governance model may not be immediately implementable, practical and ground-relevant steps are being taken to enhance the system. He instructed the chief minister`s inspection team and monitoring camp to rigorously oversee the quality and pace of project execution so that citizens benefit directly from these initiatives.

Reiterating the government`s resolve, he said the implementation of development schemes for the current fiscal year has already begun from day one. He directed that 99 per cent of technical approvals for approved projects be ensured by July 25 and progress be presented at the next review meeting.

He urged secretaries to conduct a critical assessment of last year`s shortcomings and use those lessons to improve future performance.

`We trust our officers` professional skills,` he said, `but performance will be the sole criterion for postings. We are institutionalising merit so strongly that no officer will feel the need for personal recommendations`.

Speaking on the Youth Skills Development Programme of the provincial government, he termed it a cornerstone for the future of Balochistan`s youth. He called on the relevant departments to accelerate efforts and address existing deficiencies to make the programme impactful.

He also emphasised strengthening district development committees to resolve public issues at the grassroots level. He said that all government policies and efforts must revolve around common citizens who suffer from daily challenges `the one who swelters in the heat and shivers in the cold`.

He announced that newly trained assistant commissioners will soon be posted in the field to enhance on-ground governance.