Good Governance and Transparency Depend on Modern Technology: Sarfraz Bugti

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has said that bringing the government system into the digital age is essential to ensure good governance, public service and transparency.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of digital services and mobile applications launched by the Balochistan Police in Quetta, the chief minister said the introduction of 16 modern applications for public facilitation, the welfare of martyrs’ families and the protection of women and girls was a revolutionary step.

He announced a cash reward of Rs5 million for the police IT team and a special grant of Rs50 million to further modernize the force.

Sarfraz Bugti said eight existing applications had been upgraded while eight new applications had been introduced, including services for facilitation centres, a hotline and a complaints cell. He said the initiatives would help resolve citizens’ problems promptly and restore public confidence in the police.

The chief minister said police martyrs and their families were close to the government’s heart and that an effective system had been established through the applications to ensure their welfare and care.

Emphasizing the empowerment and protection of women, Bugti said women commissioners and deputy commissioners had been appointed for the first time in Balochistan’s history. He added that pink scooters, pink buses and international scholarships were also being provided to girls.

He said a special application had been introduced to prevent harassment at workplaces and during travel. Through the app, girls would be able to send an emergency alert to the police and their parents with a single click. A comprehensive awareness campaign would also be launched in educational institutions to inform students about the facility.

Bugti thanked the Punjab government and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for providing technical assistance in police digitalization. He said that on the directives of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the governments of Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan were also adopting Balochistan’s modern AI-based testing system.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the chief minister praised the services of police officers and personnel and reaffirmed that the state would never leave the heirs of its martyrs alone.