IN Southern Punjab, the DG Khan Division is known for its strong tribal structure, with several prominent Baloch tribes playing a significant role in the region’s social and political landscape.
These include the Leghari, Khosa, Qaisarani, Buzdar, Mazari, Dreshak and Lund tribes. As far as the massive development of the DG Khan Division is concerned, it has long been neglected by powerful Baloch leaders and successive governments.
Ironically, former President Farooq Leghari, former Interim PM Balakh Sher Mazari, former Governor Zulfiqar Khosa, former CM Dost Muhammad Khosa and former CM Usman Buzdar all hailing from DG Khan did nothing for development of the Division, while CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz has been paying attention to uplift standards of people of Southern Punjab especially DG Khan Division with massive developmental projects. To achieve gigantic tasks in the province she picked team of brilliant officers directing them to pull up the socks and make impossible – possible. To start with the most deserted DG Khan Division, she directed Chief Secretary Zahid Akhter Zaman to depute some experienced, dynamic, visionary and skillful officer to DG Khan Division. To achieve the lofty goals in DG Khan Division, Ishfaq Ahmed Chaudhry was picked and given pressing challenging tasks.
With all its geographical sensitivities, the DG Khan Division borders Sindh, KP and Balochistan. It has its own peculiarities, with the Suleman Mountain Range—400 km in length and 70 km in width—being mineral-rich, but this potential has not been fully exploited so far due to the law and order situation in this belt and in adjoining districts of Balochistan province, including Barkhan, Dera Bugti and Musa Khel. Policing and maintenance of law and order is the responsibility of the Border Military Police under the direct supervision of the civil administration.
As the proverb goes, “Where there is a will, there is a way,” Commissioner Chaudhry, by maintaining law and order in a very short span of time, has achieved substantial development across the Division. One of the major features of these accomplishments is the completion of over 50 road infrastructure projects spanning more than 800 km. These roads are not just physical structures but lifelines, connecting people to education, markets, hospitals and cities.
Improving healthcare access has remained a key priority of the CM Maryam Nawaz.138 healthcare facilities including Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics, Basic Health Units and Rural Health Centers have been constructed or upgraded across the Division. Under CM’s Sustainable Development Goals Program, Commissioner Chaudhry ensured execution of 240 schemes that impact daily life. He believes that robust pipeline schemes will set new milestones for the Division. He is optimistic that development plans will further uplift infrastructure & institutional capacity.
Accepting the challenge of developing the ever-ignored DG Khan Division, Commissioner Chaudhry is confident that with his presence in office and the keen interest of the CM and Chief Secretary, the Division will witness completion of multiple schemes with a development outlay of Rs. 22.4 b. Layyah District will benefit from 11 schemes worth Rs. 6.3 b, while Muzaffargarh will receive 24 schemes with a budget exceeding Rs. 55.8 b, the highest allocation in the Division. District Rajanpur has 9 approved schemes costing Rs. 958 m and Kot Addu has 5 proposed schemes worth Rs. 1.635 b. Out of 119 new schemes, 71 are approved, with efforts underway for timely approvals and resource mobilization for the rest. Law enforcement infrastructure is also being reinforced through construction of new Border Military Police Stations in Kharar Buzdar, Roonghan, Thokh, Bawata and Rajanpur.
In the past, political influence in judicial and administrative matters has always created serious problems for the local administration. Now, under the command of the Chief Minister, all administrative and judicial matters are being dealt with on merit and with transparency for the public good. The recent recruitment in the Border Military Police, carried out after 30 years, bears ample testimony to this fact. For the first time, 53 courageous women have been recruited into the Border Military Police in DG Khan and Rajanpur, stepping into roles once thought impossible, as women’s empowerment is on the Chief Minister’s main agenda. Now, women in uniform are able to confront odds on the front lines. This recruitment process was completed purely on merit through a transparent procedure by a committee headed by the Commissioner. All 646 male and female successful candidates of the BMP have now joined.
Under his good office for the people across the region a new tourist resort and recreational park is also being established at Anari Top, Fort Munro, to promote regional tourism. The establishment of a medical college at Layyah at the cost of Rs. 5 billion will grade up health and academia. It will improve health and academic opportunities for people of the Division as development journey is never about mere projects, it’s about healthy, strong, literate and visionary people to come up and lead the nation.
—The writer is editor, political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad.
