Balochistan Government Decides to Restructure All Departments, Introduce Administrative Reforms

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has announced plans to restructure and reform all government departments to improve governance, ensure the effective use of public resources and deliver better services to citizens.

The provincial government will take concrete measures to curb unnecessary increases in public expenditure and align the administrative structure with the needs of the people, the chief minister said while addressing a review meeting of the Secretaries Committee on Wednesday.

The meeting reviewed performance reports from several departments and examined their administrative structures, workforce requirements, non-development expenditures and public service delivery.

Expressing concern over unnecessary recruitment and rising non-development expenditures in various departments, Bugti said every rupee collected through public taxes was a national trust and that the waste of public resources would not be tolerated.

“These resources belong to ordinary, poor people of Balochistan who shiver in the cold and suffer in the scorching heat,” he said, stressing that government spending must primarily serve the public interest.

The chief minister noted that a substantial portion of the province’s available resources was being consumed by non-development expenditures, yet public services were still falling short of the required standards.

He said government departments must stop functioning as recruitment centres and instead become efficient institutions capable of fulfilling their responsibilities effectively.

According to Bugti, the government’s responsibility is to create employment opportunities in line with the needs of different sectors and the market, rather than increasing the financial burden through unnecessary and excessive recruitment in government departments.

He observed that the growing burden of non-development expenditures was preventing departments from paying adequate attention to public service delivery, describing the situation as deeply concerning.

The chief minister emphasised that administrative reforms, effective resource allocation and stronger accountability mechanisms were essential to improving departmental performance.

Chief Minister Calls for Accountability and Institutional Reform

Addressing governance challenges, Bugti said the province’s administrative weaknesses and poor governance should not be blamed on others without examining internal shortcomings.

“The administrative system was not destroyed by some Punjabi who came from Lahore; we are responsible for it ourselves,” he said, urging officials to focus on their own responsibilities rather than shifting blame.

He stressed that identifying internal weaknesses and taking serious corrective measures were essential for improving governance in Balochistan.

Bugti said difficult but necessary decisions would have to be taken to improve the province and provide better facilities to the public. He added that the government would not shy away from tough decisions in its reform process, as the proper use of public resources and improved institutional performance were urgent priorities.

Recommendations Sought for Departmental Merger and Workforce Reduction

The chief minister directed the secretaries of all departments to conduct a comprehensive review of their respective administrative structures, staffing levels, expenditures and performance, and submit practical recommendations for reforms.

He also sought proposals for merging departments performing similar functions and reducing unnecessary staffing to ensure more efficient use of available resources.

The proposed measures aim to improve the quality of public services, strengthen institutional capacity, introduce greater financial discipline and make public welfare the central focus of government policies.

Bugti expressed his resolve to ensure tangible progress through reforms that improve the efficiency of government departments and promote responsible spending.

Earlier in the meeting, Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan presented a review report covering the performance of various provincial departments.