Gandapur, Bugti take oath as chief ministers

PESHAWAR/QUETTA:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Ali Amin Gandapur and Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Sarfraz Bugti took oath as the chief ministers during separate ceremonies in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

Governor Ghulam Ali administered the oath to Gandapur. On this occasion, the party leaders and workers attended the oath-taking ceremony in large numbers.

The newly elected chief minister arrived at the Chief Minister Secretariat immediately after taking the oath.

The chief secretary, inspector general of police and principal secretary to the CM welcomed him.

A police contingent presented a guard of honour to the CM. Top officials of the provincial government met with the CM in his office.

Gandapur was briefed regarding the affairs of the Chief Minister Secretariat.

The newly elected chief minister expressed grief over the loss of precious human lives due to rains and snowfall in various districts of the province.

He expressed his heartfelt sympathies and condolences for the affected families and prayed that they be blessed with patience.

Gandapur also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

He directed the district administration concerned to ensure immediate relief to the affected families.

He also directed authorities concerned to take immediate measures to restore the roads closed as a result of snowfall and landslides.

The chief minister said, “The provincial government equally shares the grief of the affected families and they will not be left alone as they will be provided all out support.”

Meanwhile, the newly elected Balochistan Chief Minister, Bugti, termed climate change, terrorism, and bad governance major challenges faced by his government.

Bugti was sworn in as the chief minister of Balochistan on Saturday. Balochistan Governor Malik Abdul Wali Kakar administered the oath to the newly elected chief minister at the Governor House.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also participated in the oath-taking ceremony.

The Governor House was jam-packed with the supporters of the PPP.

Bugti said talks would be held with disgruntled Baloch leaders within the parameters of the Constitution. However, he said action would be taken against those elements who were playing with the lives of innocent people.

“If someone adopts a violent way, then the state will exercise its authority to curb it with full force,” he said.

The Balochistan CM stated that terrorism could only be eradicated through reconciliation and deterrence.

“We have been asking the disgruntled leaders to join the peace process and enter the mainstream,” Bugti mentioned.

He also declared promotion of education and health sectors as his top priorities, saying that revolutionary steps would be taken to address the issues. He said out-of-school children would be brought to schools and that all out efforts would be made to improve schooling and health sectors.

Regarding the financial issues of the province, Bugti said that the tax net would be expanded in Balochistan.

“The revenue of the province would be expanded as this is the only way out,” he said.

As a chief of minister, “my first visit would be to Gwadar”, he announced. The CM’s announcement came after the port city of the province was left completely inundated due to the record torrential downpour.

“I will be visiting Gwadar to review the rescue and relief operations,” Bugti stated. He said the provincial government was committed to rehabilitate all flood-affected people in Gwadar and other parts of Makran and all resources would be employed to this end.

The caretaker Balochistan government on Thursday imposed an emergency in Gwadar and declared it a disaster zone after heavy rains triggered devastating flash floods in the coastal city.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2024.