Rs20bn allocated to strengthen Counter-Terrorism Department
鈥 Rs75bn package for provincial development and reforms
鈥 Opposition members move 11 cut motions
QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the provincial budget of Rs896 billion for the fiscal year 2025-26, despite 11 cut motions initially moved by opposition members.
Provincial Minister for Finance and Minerals Mir Shoaib Nosherwani moved 94 demands for grants in the house, amounting to over Rs1 trillion.
These included 53 demands for grants totalling Rs666.83bn for non-development expenditures and 41 demands of Rs289.64bn for the Public Sector Development Progr-amme (PSDP).
Leader of the Opposition, Mir Younis Aziz Zehri, was among members who moved 11 cut motions.
However, one opposition member withdrew his motion, and the house, presided over by Speaker Capt (Retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, rejected the remaining 10 motions 鈥 nine on the non-development budget and one on the development budget.
When the speaker put the budget to a vote, no opposition member opposed it, leading to its unanimous passage.
Following the budget鈥檚 approval, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti announced a substantial Rs75bn reform and development package for the coming fiscal year.
This package targets governance improvement, public service delivery, law and order, and PSDP reforms.
Detailing initiatives, Mr Bugti said 164 non-functional health centres will reopen next week.
The province will also construct 1,200 new schools over the next year, launch a 鈥淧eople鈥檚 Air Ambulance Service鈥, and implement a Rs10bn Safe City Project.
Infrastructure plans include establishing vegetable markets, bus terminals, and livestock markets across districts.
Rs6bn has been earmarked for land settlement via satellite mapping, Rs5bn for a solar energy initiative in Chagai and Rs4bn to improve irrigation command areas.
Quetta will also see a new 鈥淧eople鈥檚 Train Service鈥 from Kuchlak to Sheikh Zayed Hospital.
A Rs2bn allocation will support cultural programmes across the province.
On governance, Mr Bugti said assistant commissioners are now in all 26 previously understaffed subdivisions.
He highlighted that the government fully utilised 100 per cent of the current fiscal year鈥檚 budget.
鈥淲e will begin working on the next year鈥檚 development projects from today,鈥 he announced.
Addressing security, Mr Bugti called the law and order situation one of the country鈥檚 biggest concerns.
鈥淲e are fighting a serious separatist movement. Though they lack capability, we won鈥檛 let them control even an inch of our land,鈥 he asserted, thanking the federal government and the President for giving Rs10bn to strengthen the Counter-Terrorism Depart-ment.
Additionally, 100 police stations will get proper boundary walls and improvements in prosecution processes are underway.
For economic development, Mr Bugti envisioned Chagai as an investment hub, particularly from Saudi Arabia and China, with plans for a solar grid and an industrial estate.
A major dam project in Washuk is also planned.
To boost exports, meat packaging plants will be set up in Chaman, Gwadar, Turbat, and Chagai. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 just want to give young people loader vehicles. We want to create entrepreneurs,鈥 he said.
The government will also distribute pink scooters to women in collaboration with the National Bank, and a youth policy has been finalised.
The provincial health card system will be revamped, introducing health insurance for government employees.
Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2025