QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minis­ter Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti has labelled corruption and bad governance as the “biggest issues of Balochistan”.

He vowed that his government wou­ld take measures to strengthen institutions, including the Anti-Corruption Establish­ment (ACE), through the appointment of an experienced police officer as its head after necessary amendments in the body’s law.

The CM made these remarks on Tu­­esday while talking to the media after an iftar dinner hosted in honour of jou­r­­nalists at the Chief Minister Secretariat.

PPP leader Mir Ali Madad Jattak, PML-N MPA Mir Shoaib Nusherwani, Mir Liaquat Lehri and Obaidullah Gorg­age were also present at the press conference.

The CM lamented that government departments were “under the influence of mafias,” which affected their performance. He said that his government would have a “zero tolerance policy” with regard to corruption.

CM Bugti dismisses reports of differences in cabinet formation

Referring to the missing persons’ issue, the CM claimed that it was given a political colour by some quarters as there were differences in the missing persons’ data available with the government and the claims made by their heirs, political parties and other groups.

However, despite the difficulties, the government wants to resolve the issue, CM Bugti said, adding that the federal government’s commission on missing persons has decided around 87 per cent of missing persons’ cases.

Mr Bugti also denied the reports of differences among coalition parties over cabinet formation. “The cabinet will be formed according to the formula agreed between the four-party alliance [of PPP, PML-N, BAP and ANP],” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2024