Balochistan CM orders cases against 428 officials doing dual jobs

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti on Tuesday ordered filing cases and taking action under Balochistan Employees’ Efficiency and Discipline Act (BEEDA) against 428 government employees of 28 departments who are currently holding dual jobs.

He issued this direction while chairing a meeting of the Secretaries Committee, which was attended by Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Inspector General of Police Moazam Jah Ansari, and secretaries of all provincial departments. The meeting reviewed governance improvements and implementation of development projects, as well as challenges and obstacles confronting the province.

The meeting was told that 428 employees from 28 departments were holding dual jobs, to which Chief Minister Bugti ordered filing of first information reports (FIRs) and taking action under BEEDA against them.

Secretary Excise Department Syed Zafar Shah Bukhari presented a record of 9,882 government vehicles and briefed the meeting on the strategy to update the data. The meeting was informed that several officers were not returning vehicles despite transfers, to which the chief minister again directed for lodging FIRs against such officers.

Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Bugti emphasised that restoring trust between the state and the people can only be achieved through good governance. Government officers and employees must realise their responsibilities and work to ensure public welfare, he said, adding the officers who did not perform their duties diligently and were unaware of public issues had no right to remain in their positions. He stressed that amendments in the Civil Servants Act were necessary to enable forced retirements of inactive officers.

The chief minister mentioned that with the cooperation of the Information Technology Department, the provincial government had gained access to the database of government officers and employees for monitoring their attendance. He warned that if results were not achieved, tough decisions would be taken. He said the purpose of development projects should not only be to construct buildings but to ensure public welfare. “If necessary, the government officers and employees should work in tents in remote areas to show the public that the government is striving to resolve their issues,” he said, adding: “This initiative will enhance the reputation of both the government and the officers, and they will be remembered positively in history.”

The chief minister further said that no government officer or employee can deviate from the state’s narrative. “Bad governance strengthens anti-state elements, and it is vital to counter this. Balochistan is passing through a difficult phase, and every government official must focus on resolving public issues so that the common people, who suffer in extreme cold or hot weather, can be provided relief,” he added. He mentioned that through collaboration with the private sector, more job opportunities would be created under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to offer better opportunities to the public.

The chief minister made it clear that the government would fight terrorism with full strength. “The state has always sought dialogue, but the agenda of enemies of the country is to harm the state through violence, which will not be tolerated,” he added.

He instructed all government officers to work diligently to promote the state’s narrative and ensure the implementation of government policies. He also emphasised that the time had come for government employees to deliver on the facilities provided to them by the state and adopt public service as their guiding principle.

He instructed all secretaries to ensure the timely completion of development projects as per the deadlines set by the government, remove obstacles, and prioritise projects that meet the needs of the common people.