QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti on Thursday expressed his disappointment over the delay in the implementation of a $400 million project for the rehabilitation of families affected by the 2022 super floods and ordered the officials concerned to start work on all foreign-funded projects within 10 days.

He also ordered to suspend all provincial government officials responsible for the delay and initiate an inquiry against them.

The chief minister was presiding over a meeting of the planning and development department in which officials briefed him about the ongoing federal and provincial public sector development programmes and foreign-funded projects in the province.

A senior official of the planning and development department, while briefing the chief minister on the projects related to the rehabilitation of flood-affected people, said that due to some technical reasons implementation on the $400 million foreign-funded project was delayed in flood-hit areas of the province.

Angered by delay in implementation of $400m project for rehabilitation of flood-hit families

He said that one of the reasons for the delay was the non-appointment of the project director.

Expressing his anger over the delay, Mr Bugti ordered officials concerned to start work on the project within 10 days.

“Work on foreign-funded projects should be started within 10 days,” the chief minister said, adding that the World Bank-funded project for the construction of 160,000 houses in 10 flood-affected areas should also be accelerated.

The chief minister said the public sector development programmes should be made keeping in view the requirements and problems of the residents instead of making these programmes on the basis of likes and dislikes of some people.

He said that all project directors and field officers at divisional and district levels should be transferred to their respective districts and divisions and they should ensure their official work at their places of duty.

“I myself will make surprise visits to all divisions and districts to ensure presence of all officials at their places of work,” Mr Bugti said, adding that strict action would be taken if any official was found absent from the place of his duty and posting.

Mr Bugti said that project directors and officers should not make the provincial capital their permanent abode.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2024