QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has termed the agreement between the provincial government and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) a “historic milestone” that would “directly benefit the people of the province” and especially Sui residents.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Friday, Mr Bugti stressed that, unlike past agreements allegedly signed behind closed doors, this accord was finalised at a public level to ensure transparency and public participation.

The event was attended by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, PPL Managing Director and CEO Imran Abbas, Balochistan Secretary of Energy Dawood Khan Bazai, government officials and tribal elders.

Calling the PPL agreement a “historic day for Balochistan”, Mr Bugti reiterated that this deal marks a departure from past practices where such contracts were signed in secrecy.

Bugti says agreement finalised at public level to ensure transparency

He lauded PPL’s managing director for prioritising the interests of Balochistan’s people and ensuring that the agreement was approved by the company’s board while keeping public welfare at the forefront.

Stressing the significance of education, Mr Bugti announced that PPL would sponsor the education of 50 students at Lawrence College Murree and Cadet College Hasan Abdel each year.

He lamented that if such initiatives for education had been undertaken in the past, a could have been the managing director of PPL, an FC commander, or a key figure in Balochistan’s administration today.

He said this educational programme would benefit only the underprivileged children of Sui.

Mr Bugti announced that PPL would provide jobs to 14 diploma holders and seven engineers yearly, ensuring a merit-based selection process without any political influence or recommendations.

The Balochistan government has also launched a skill development programme to equip the province’s youth with vocational training.

In the first phase, young workers will be sent to Saudi Arabia, followed by a second phase targeting employment opportunities in Germany.

PPL has committed to sponsoring 50 students annually for this initiative, allowing them to secure employment abroad while contributing to the national economy through remittances.

Describing the long-awaited Sui Model City as a “step towards urban modernisation”, Mr Bugti said the project would include the development of roads, a proper sewerage system, streetlights, parks, circuit houses and other essential infrastructure.

He invited the federal government to collaborate by establishing a medical college and a university within the city.

To address the pressing water crisis, PPL has pledged to supply one million gallons of water daily to the residents of Sui. Additionally, all outdated government buildings in Dera Bugti will be renovated with modern facilities through PPL’s support.

During his address, Mr Bugti also highlighted the importance of the Kachhi Canal project, recalling that when he was elected as a member of the Balochistan Assembly in 2013 and became the interior minister, he urged the federal government to complete the project.

While the canal was completed in 2017, the devastating floods of 2022 severely impacted its functionality.

The chief minister expressed his gratitude to Mr Iqbal for his special interest in the project and urged him to expedite the completion of its second and third phases to ensure an uninterrupted water supply for Balochistan’s farmers.

The chief minister also acknowledged the long-standing issue of gas flaring, which has posed health and environmental risks to local communities.

To mitigate these effects, the government has decided to relocate gas flaring sites 10 kilometres away from residential areas.

In a major relief for retired employees, Mr Bugti announced that PPL would now ensure their rehiring based on company regulations.

This decision will provide long-awaited employment opportunities for individuals waiting for years to be reinstated.

He expressed “disappointment” as the national anthem was no played at the start of the ceremony Mr Bugti instructed that all future official functions in Balochistan must commence with the national anthem.

Concluding his speech, the chief minister thanked all attendees, including the planning minister, PPL executives and government officials, for their contributions to the development of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2025