Budget Questions Spark Controversy at Quetta Youth Summit: Sports Secretary Durra Baloch Clashes with Media
Only Praiseworthy Journalists Welcomed as Transparency Concerns Deepen in Balochistan’s Sports Department
Quetta: The *National Youth Summit* in Quetta took a controversial turn when Balochistan’s Secretary for Sports, Durra Baloch, reacted angrily to a journalist’s question regarding the event’s budget. What began as a simple inquiry about transparency quickly escalated into a display of hostility, with the secretary reportedly suggesting that only journalists who “praise” his work should be allowed access.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred during the summit when a reporter asked, *“Sir, how much budget has been spent on the Youth Summit?”* The question visibly irritated the secretary, who deflected the inquiry and instead criticized the journalist. The discussion soon shifted from accountability to personal defensiveness, raising concerns over the lack of transparency within the department.
**Background: Allegations of Corruption in the Sports Department**
The Balochistan Department of Sports has been under scrutiny for months amid allegations of financial irregularities and mismanagement of public funds. The issue has even reached the Balochistan Assembly, where lawmakers accused the department of turning “sports into a money game.” Both the provincial sports minister and senior officials have faced mounting criticism over the handling of budgets and development projects.
**Accountability or Arrogance?**
Sources claim that Secretary Durra Baloch’s office is frequently visited by a select group of journalists and social media figures who promote the department’s narrative in exchange for access. In contrast, reporters who raise critical questions are labeled “blackmailers” or “negative-minded.”
During the Youth Summit, this pattern appeared once again. When a local digital journalist raised a budget-related question, the secretary reportedly looked at the journalist’s media logo, smiled sarcastically, and muttered a remark suggesting retaliation once cameras were off.
The incident has intensified the debate about transparency and accountability in Balochistan’s sports institutions. Critics argue that while the government claims to empower youth through sports, the system remains dominated by bureaucratic ego and selective media engagement — where asking tough questions is treated as defiance, and praise has become the only accepted form of journalism.
