QUETTA: Forty union councils in Gwadar and Lasbela districts have prepared their development plans (UCDPs), which have been formally handed over to the provincial government by the Gwadar Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project (GLLSP-II) jointly financed by the government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The five-year UCDPs were developed through extensive consultations with communities, government line departments, and private sector partners. They outline targeted actions to address local development priorities, mobilise community resources, and strengthen self-reliance. The Local Government and Rural Development Department and the Policy and Development Department will lead implementation and monitoring. Local Government Department Secretary Abdul Rauf Baloch praised IFAD and the GLLSP-II team for their technical and financial support. “These plans will serve as a roadmap for inclusive rural development, responding directly to the needs identified by communities,” he said. He added that the government would ensure resource allocation for execution and stressed that such plans should be developed for all rural union councils in the province. Fernanda Thomaz da Rocha, IFAD Country Director for Pakistan, called the initiative “a major step showing what can be achieved when communities and government come together with a shared vision for their future”. She said it reflects IFAD’s mission of amplifying rural voices in decision-making and equipping communities with tools to build lasting opportunities. She said that in Balochistan, GLLSP-II is proving that community-driven development can create both resilience and hope for generations. Sports and Youth Affairs Secretary Durra Baloch said: “I have been part of various provincial policy processes, but these plans stand out as a community-driven achievement that aligns development actions with local needs.” Asif Lehri, programme specialist, said the GLLSP-II, with technical assistance from the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP), works to reduce poverty by strengthening livelihoods through grassroots planning and local governance. He said the demand-driven UCDPs not only address community priorities but also mobilise local resources to build long-term resilience. He noted that this is the first time in Balochistan’s history that government and public stakeholders have jointly participated in community-driven planning and execution of rural development. The second phase of GLLSP-II is a six-year programme benefiting more than 100,000 households across 40 union councils of Gwadar and Lasbela. Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025