Non-Local Class-IV Employees to Be Sent Back to Their Districts, Irregularities in Overseas Jobs Program Under Investigation: CM Bugti

Quetta: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has announced that Class-IV employees appointed in districts other than their own will be transferred back to their native districts, while investigations into alleged irregularities in the overseas employment program for youth are currently underway.
Speaking during a session of the Balochistan Assembly on Friday, the chief minister said the government had observed that people from other districts had been appointed even to low-grade positions in several districts, including Gwadar.
The issue surfaced during a question raised by Gwadar MPA Maulana Hidayat ur Rehman Baloch, where it was revealed that 19 non-local individuals had been appointed to Class-IV posts in Gwadar.
Mir Sarfraz Bugti termed the practice unfair and stated that investigations would be conducted to identify such appointments and relocate the employees back to their respective districts. He said it was unjust that non-locals were appointed as drivers and other staff despite the availability of local residents.
During the assembly session, National Party lawmaker Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch raised concerns regarding the Chief Minister’s Youth Skill Development Program launched in October 2024, under which 30,000 trained youth were supposed to be sent to Gulf and European countries, including Germany and Romania, for employment opportunities.
Provincial Minister Mir Sadiq Umrani informed the assembly that around 250 individuals had so far been sent to Gulf countries. He stated that 37 had returned, around 100 were satisfied and employed with dignity, while complaints had been received from 90 individuals. According to him, 50 complaints were minor, while 40 involved genuine concerns that were being addressed with the relevant companies.
He added that no youth had yet been sent to European countries under the program, though the government was providing 70 percent financial support to those obtaining visas independently.
Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch alleged financial irregularities in the scheme, claiming that consultants were paid between Rs 2.5 million and Rs 3.6 million per person and that fake payments were issued in the names of 36 individuals. He also claimed that 70 youths had been deported.
Responding to the concerns, Chief Minister Bugti said the government’s objective from the beginning was to equip young people with skills and send them abroad for employment opportunities, mainly labor-related jobs rather than white-collar positions.
He acknowledged that shortcomings had been identified in the implementation of the overseas employment initiative, adding that the director general concerned had been removed and an investigation was in progress. He warned that those involved in fraud or deception after securing contracts would face punishment.
The chief minister further said the government now plans to adopt an open-market policy under which companies would train youth, provide them employment, and then receive payments from the government.
During the session, another briefing was given regarding the Saindak project, where Provincial Minister for Minerals Mir Shoaib Nosherwani informed the assembly that more than Rs 850 million had been spent under corporate social responsibility initiatives, while the province was also receiving royalty payments from the project.