Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti Stresses Teachers’ Role in Bridging Gap Between Youth and State

Quetta:Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, has emphasized that the youth are the most valuable asset and future architects of the state, while teachers serve as guiding beacons who can help bridge the gap between the younger generation and the state.

Speaking during a meeting with faculty heads and members of various universities on Friday, the chief minister highlighted the importance of teachers in shaping students’ direction through research, guidance, and moral clarity. The meeting also discussed the role of media, fact-checking, social values, and collective social responsibilities.

Bugti noted that in the past, strong editorial checks ensured accuracy and credibility in news dissemination, but with the advent of electronic and social media, these checks have weakened. *“In today’s social media age, the line between truth and falsehood has become extremely thin, deeply influencing societal attitudes,”* he remarked. He added that the introduction of 3G and 4G services without strengthening social values and infrastructure allowed propaganda to spread, distancing youth from the state.

The chief minister urged teachers to guide students towards truth and critical thinking, reducing the divide between the state and its citizens. He stressed that grievances must be addressed through constructive means, not violence or armed conflict. *“This country was not built only by Baloch but also by Sindhis, Pashtuns, Punjabis, and other communities who made sacrifices. This homeland belongs to everyone,”* he stated.

Highlighting governance reforms, Bugti revealed that 16,000 contract teachers had been recruited, reopening 3,200 closed schools across the province. He also pointed out that healthcare facilities were being introduced in remote areas for the first time since independence. *“For the first time, a doctor was appointed in Mand, and the first child was born in Bector’s government hospital, marking a milestone in public healthcare,”* he said.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing basic facilities to ordinary citizens, improving their living standards despite limited resources. However, he expressed concern over excessive non-developmental expenditures, which reduce funds available for public welfare. *“Correcting governance and ensuring fair use of resources is essential,”* he said, stressing that quality education requires meeting modern needs, not just constructing buildings or mass recruitments.

Bugti criticized universities for building new structures despite lacking resources to pay salaries, urging institutions to align spending with available means. *“We must live within our resources. Sustainable development depends on proper utilization of funds,”* he asserted.

Concluding his address, the chief minister said every citizen must play their role in the province’s progress: *“The government is determined to ease the lives of common Balochistanis, whether they shiver in winter or suffer in summer, by providing them with basic facilities.”*