QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti assailed the performance of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) after one of his predecessors complained that road-building projects handled by the entity had “come to a standstill”.
Speaking on a point of order during proceedings of the Balochistan Assembly the other day, National Party leader Dr Abdul Malik Baloch — himself a former chief minister of the province — expressed serious concerns over the suspension of work on National Highway Authority (NHA) projects in the province, and urged authorities to take up the matter with the federal government.
Current, former chief ministers criticise FWO performance; incumbent says roads in his area have ‘deteriorated’
He also criticised the contracting process, alleging that the FWO had awarded work according to its own preferences, and often cited security concerns as the reason for any delays. He also took issue with the absence of any Balochistan-based leadership for these projects, claiming that most project directors were based in Karachi or Islamabad rather than Quetta, except for one or two.
Responding to his concerns, CM Bugti acknowledged shortcomings in FWO’s performance, saying that even roads constructed in his own area had deteriorated. He said the organisation was awarded projects with the expectation of quality work, but claimed that the entity subsequently handed projects over to smaller subcontractors, resulting in poor execution.
The chief minister said he was dissatisfied with the FWO’s performance and that the elected provincial assembly shared these concerns.
Regarding NHA projects, CM Bugti said security-related challenges also affected some road schemes and that the government was addressing those issues.
Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2026
