Quetta: Metro Launches, 2,900 CCTVs Approved, Cabinet Reforms Endorsed
Quetta is at the centre of major developments in Balochistan, with the launch of the city's first metro train service, approval of a sweeping urban surveillance network, and a Balochistan cabinet session that endorsed significant reforms in education and other sectors. These stories reflect a moment of accelerated infrastructure and policy activity in the provincial capital.
2,900 Surveillance Cameras Approved for Quetta Integrated Security Project
The Balochistan government has approved the installation of 2,900 advanced surveillance cameras across Quetta under the Quetta Integrated Security Project, aimed at strengthening policing and improving the city's security infrastructure. The decision was taken at a high-level security and policing meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti. Officials briefed the meeting that the new surveillance network would be developed under the Quetta Green Digital Corridor, a framework designed to modernise urban infrastructure in the provincial capital. The project is intended to enhance monitoring, strengthen counterterrorism measures and enable security agencies to respond more rapidly to emergencies. The government also approved the establishment of additional Quick Response Force stations in Quetta to improve police response times to security threats. The Balochistan Police will undergo further modernisation, with officers receiving advanced training, equipment and additional resources. The Additional Chief Secretary Home and the Inspector General of Balochistan Police briefed the gathering on the province's overall security situation. The meeting was also told that 871 police personnel had been dismissed due to absenteeism and negligence, and that 1,005 personnel previously deployed with various VIPs were returned to their departments. Chief Minister Bugti reaffirmed the government's support for security forces fighting terrorism, stating that police deployed to counter terrorism must receive full backing and resources. [5]
Public Euphoria as Jinnah Peoples Metro Train Service Inaugurated in Quetta
Quetta witnessed a historic milestone in public transport when Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti formally inaugurated the first Jinnah Peoples Metro Train Service in the city. Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi accompanied the chief minister for the event, and both leaders unveiled the commemorative plaque and took part in the train's maiden test journey. The launch marked the beginning of metro rail services in Quetta, a development that generated notable public excitement described by observers as euphoria among residents welcoming a new era of urban mass transit. Chief Minister Bugti announced that senior citizens and persons with disabilities would receive free travel on the new service, reflecting an intent to make public transport accessible to vulnerable groups. He also revealed future expansion plans, including the deployment of two trains in total and an extension of the route to reach Pishin, Bostan and Mastung. The Jinnah Peoples Metro Train Service represents a significant infrastructure investment in Balochistan and is expected to ease commuting pressures in a city that has long lacked a formal mass rapid transit system. The inauguration was also attended by a Parliamentary Secretary, adding to the official significance of the occasion. [9]
Balochistan Cabinet Endorses Sweeping Education, Economic and Health Reforms
The Balochistan cabinet met and approved a package of economic, health and education reforms in a session that addressed several of the province's most persistent development challenges. Among the key decisions endorsed was the Balochistan Non-Formal Education Act 2025, designed to enrol approximately 1.6 million out-of-school children into educational programmes across the province. This legislative step addresses one of Balochistan's most acute social challenges, as the province has long struggled with low literacy rates and high numbers of children who remain outside the formal education system. The cabinet's approval of this act signals the provincial government's commitment to expanding education access to some of the most marginalised communities in Pakistan. Beyond education, the cabinet also approved economic and health sector reforms as part of a broader package. The combined scope of approvals spanning economic development, healthcare and education suggests a coordinated effort to address multiple development deficits simultaneously. The reforms come at a time when Balochistan is seeking to accelerate development and improve human development indicators, which rank among the lowest in Pakistan. The cabinet session was held in Quetta and the decisions taken reflected the government's legislative priorities for the current period. [3]
Sources: [5] The Express Tribune · [9] The News Pakistan · [3] The Nation (Pakistan )