QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Friday called on university teachers to help bridge a growing divide between the state and its youth, identifying them as a “guiding light” against a tide of online misinformation.

During a meeting with faculty heads from public sector universities that focused on the role of media, fact-checking, social values, and collective social responsibilities, CM Bugti emphasized young people are the “most valuable asset and architects of any state” and that teachers have a critical role in guiding them.

If teachers lead students correctly, he argued, the gap between the state and the younger generation can be closed.

Mr Bugti blamed the rapid expansion of social media for weakening societal values and creating a difficult environment for young people.

“In the past, strong editorial checks ensured authenticity and credibility in news, but with the advent of electronic and then social media, these checks have weakened,” Mr Bugti said.

“In today’s social media era, the line between truth and falsehood has become extremely thin, which has deeply affected social behaviour.”

He noted that 3G and 4G services were introduced in Pakistan “without first strengthening social values and institutional frameworks,” which he said led to false propaganda aimed at distancing youth from the state.

CM Bugti urged the educators to guide students with research and clarity, calling their task a “heavy responsibility.”

“The relationship between the state and citizens is one of mutual rights and responsibilities,” he said. “If grievances exist, their solution is not to take up arms against the state.”

The chief minister also addressed provincial and national unity, stating that all ethnic groups were divided during the creation of Pakistan. “This country belongs to everyone,” he affirmed.

Highlighting recent government reforms, CM Bugti said his administration has hired 16,000 contract teachers to reopen 3,200 schools that had been closed. He also pointed to improvements in public health, noting that a doctor had been posted in the town of Mand for the first time since independence.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2025