Youth must choose progress path not violence, govt to provide all possible support: CM Bugti

QUETTA, Oct 08 (APP): Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has said the provincial government is working to bridge the gap between the youth and the state through education, skills development, employment, merit and dialogue.

Addressing a certificate distribution ceremony at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Quetta, on Thursday, he said the government’s objective was not merely to provide training and certificates but to help young people become self-reliant through employment and entrepreneurship.

The ceremony was organised by the Balochistan Industries and Commerce Department and the Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) under the government-funded Resilience, Integration and Socio-Economic Empowerment Programme for trainees from Ketch, Gwadar, Panjgur and Kharan. The chief minister distributed certificates among women and female students who had completed their training.

Mr Bugti said the programme would provide skilled youth with business support, continuous guidance and interest-free loans, enabling them to establish businesses and become economically independent. He said the initiative was designed to offer a legitimate alternative to smuggling and other informal economic activities in border districts.

He particularly praised young women who had stepped out of their homes to acquire skills, saying their participation reflected the potential of Balochistan’s women. He stressed that the province could progress only when women were given greater opportunities in economic and social life.

The chief minister said the youth programme would eventually be expanded from border districts to the entire province, with merit, employment and empowerment at its core. He cited the recruitment of more than 15,000 teachers as evidence of the government’s commitment to merit and urged the public and media to report any violations.

He said Rs3 billion had been allocated for youth initiatives this year, with the possibility of increasing the allocation if the funds were effectively utilised. The government was also creating opportunities for higher education, including scholarships and PhD programmes at leading international universities.

Mr Bugti assured young people that the doors of the state would remain open even to those currently involved in violence if they chose to renounce it and join the national mainstream. He urged the youth to choose education, skills, employment and entrepreneurship over violence.

He said the government would continue working with BRSP and other partner organisations to expand opportunities for young people and women, while ensuring transparent implementation and government ownership of the programmes.