QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring peace and prosperity in Balochistan, calling the province the geographical heart of the country.
Addressing political leaders, parliamentarians and provincial ministers in Quetta on Thursday, he emphasized that national unity and strong federal-provincial cooperation were vital to overcoming Balochistan’s security and economic challenges, adding that to address the challenges, all stakeholders must sit together and adopt a joint course of action. “We will work together to tackle the security, economic and developmental challenges facing Balochistan.”
He paid tribute to the sacrifices of armed forces, police, Frontier Corps and civilians in the fight against terrorism. He condemned Fitna-al-Khawarij and expressed regret over the support extended to terrorists by certain neighbouring countries. Praising military leadership, he lauded Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for his professional excellence, recalling his decisive command during the events of May 2025. “The government and military will not rest until terrorism is completely uprooted,” he declared.
Reflecting on the 2010 National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, Shehbaz recalled the consensus achieved under the leadership of Asif Ali Zardari and Yousaf Raza Gilani. He noted that Punjab had voluntarily contributed Rs11 billion annually from its share to Balochistan, amounting to Rs175 billion to date, in recognition of the province’s vast distances and unique needs. He added that committees were currently working on a new NFC Award to ensure equitable resource distribution and strengthen the federation.
The prime minister laid the foundation stone for the expansion of Karachi-Quetta-Chaman National Highway into a modern four-lane carriageway.
He said the Rs300 billion project would be funded through savings from fluctuating international petroleum prices, describing it as a gift from the people of Pakistan to Balochistan. Once dubbed the “Killer Highway” due to frequent accidents, the prime minister announced its expansion to reduce traffic accidents and provide safer travel facilities to the people of Balochistan. He said that five Daanish schools would be established from Killa Saifullah to Turbat, offering free, world-class education to underprivileged children. The initiative will later be expanded across the province to educate the new generation to play a vital role in development of the province and in eliminating terrorism, he added.
The premier expressed satisfaction over the successful conversion of agricultural tubewells to solar power, ensuring sustainable energy for farmers. Utilising $400 million from the World Bank following the 2022 floods, the government continues to construct houses across the province, with inaugurations planned for flood-affected families, he said.
He stressed that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had always prioritised Balochistan’s prosperity. He urged all stakeholders to adopt a joint strategy to ensure that the journey of development reaches every corner of the province. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Balochistan Governor Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Dr Malik Baloch and Maulana Abdul Wasey.
Separately, in a meeting in Quetta, Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan gave a detailed briefing to the prime minister on reforms carried out in various sectors, progress of development projects and especially steps related to education, health, governance and provision of public services.
Shehbaz appreciated the steps taken by the Balochistan government under the leadership of CM Bugti for promoting development, establishing law and order, strengthening political harmony and effectively redressing public complaints registered at the PM’s Complaint Cell. The chief secretary said the provincial government has ensured effective implementation of the reform agenda despite limited resources.
The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the achievements made in restoring law and order situation in Balochistan, including the killing of 784 terrorists during intelligence-based operations and various security operations. He said that the peace situation in Balochistan has improved significantly due to the joint efforts of the provincial government and security agencies. He said the federal government would continue support to the provincial government for the development, stability and public welfare of Balochistan. He reiterated the resolve that all resources are being utilised to address the problems being faced by Balochistan to complete development projects and provide relief to the people.
The prime minister also extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Balochistan CM Bugti on his becoming the chief of the Bugti tribe. Shehbaz expressed confidence that Bugti would continue to fulfill his responsibilities with vision, care and a strong commitment to public service.
Meanwhile, addressing a meeting chaired by the prime minister, the Balochistan chief minister said the provincial government, in close collaboration with the federal government, is taking serious, coordinated and result-oriented measures to pull the province out of backwardness and integrate it into the national development mainstream. He said for the first time in the province’s history, 100 percent of the funds allocated for development budget have been utilised in a transparent and effective manner.
He described this achievement as clear evidence of improved planning, financial discipline and effective governance, said a press release issued by the CM Secretariat. The chief minister expressed gratitude to the prime minister for his special cooperation and keen interest in Balochistan’s development. He noted that on PM’s directives, several major projects have been approved, including the dualisation of Quetta-Karachi national highway, establishment of Daanish Schools in Balochistan and other key development initiatives. He said these projects would serve as milestones in the province’s social and economic progress.
Highlighting Balochistan’s unique challenges, Bugti pointed to the province’s vast geography, scattered population and security concerns, which make development more complex compared to other provinces. The remarks were made during the prime minister’s meeting with members of the National and provincial assemblies, provincial ministers, leaders of allied parties and opposition representatives in Quetta.
Meanwhile, in a separate meeting with the prime minister at the Governor House, Quetta, Balochistan Governor Jaffar Khan Mandokhel praised Shehbaz on the inauguration of N-25 Karachi-Chaman National Highway. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, including the latest situation of the country and the province and ongoing development projects, were discussed.
The governor said that this strategic highway connects the country’s largest port city Karachi with the border city of Chaman, which could provide a route to Central Asia and is expected to promote trade, agriculture and regional connectivity. He mentioned that Quetta to Jeddah direct flight should be resumed and stressed on the construction of Quetta-Zhob-Islamabad Expressway to further improve connectivity between Balochistan and other parts of the country.
He also drew the attention of the prime minister to another important issue, saying that PIA fares from Quetta to Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore are many times higher than other cities of the country, which is a huge financial burden on the passengers of Balochistan. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the fares and enhance the number of PIA daily flights.
