Bugti announces shift to electric vehicles

Free vehicle registration for 15 days, subsidised fuel for farmers, free Green Bus service in Quetta, Turbat

QUETTA:

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti on Saturday unveiled a series of public relief measures and a strict austerity campaign amid Pakistan's ongoing severe economic crisis, urging both the government and citizens to embrace frugality.

Addressing a press conference in Quetta, the Chief Minister announced that vehicle registration across the province will be made free for the next 15 days. He further revealed that farmers will receive subsidies on petrol and diesel, especially for operating thresher machines, while the popular Green Bus service in Quetta and Turbat will be provided completely free of charge to ensure affordable public transport for the masses.

To protect consumers, Mir Sarfraz Bugti directed strict monitoring of petrol pumps, instructing Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to personally oversee petroleum product prices. He clarified that the checking of foreign goods remains the responsibility of Customs authorities, not the police.

In line with the austerity drive, markets will close at 8 pm starting Monday following consultations, though marriage halls and hotels will be permitted to operate until 10 pm. The Chief Minister stressed that these steps do not constitute a lockdown but are essential measures to conserve energy and resources during the crisis.

Commenting on the recent closure of schools, he remarked that "when schools were closed, people went out for picnics," and called upon citizens to understand the gravity of the country's economic situation. The provincial government has already implemented several cost-cutting initiatives, including shifting the Finance Department to a work-from-home model, reducing staff at the Chief Minister's Secretariat, slashing fuel quotas for official vehicles, and transferring 400 employees from the CM House back to the Services and General Administration Department.