- Advertisement -
QUETTA, Feb 1 (APP): Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti paid tribute to the martyrs and defenders who foiled recent terrorist attacks, announcing that 145 terrorists were killed in 40 hours during operations across the province. He described this as the highest number eliminated in such a short period since Pakistan facing this war against terrorism.
Addressing a press conference, Sarfraz Bugti revealed that intelligence reports had warned of planned attacks in Panjgur and from Shaban area to strike Quetta from the northeast and penetrate the Red Zone. Security forces launched preemptive operations, killing around 40 terrorists in those areas.
Sarfraz Bugti confirmed that 17 law enforcement personnel and 31 civilians embraced martyrdom, with several others injured in the recent wave of attacks. Bugti said the bodies of 145 terrorists were in the custody of the authorities.
He expressed grief over the killing of a Baloch family from Khuzdar living in labour colony Gwadar, where terrorists martyred five women and three children.
He praised the bravery of security personnel who stopped attackers from ramming a vehicle into the Red Zone and would be announce a high state award for the injured officer.
He said that in the last year, security forces conducted 58,000 intelligence-based operations (IBOs), eliminating over 1,500 terrorists.
” Sarfraz Bugti described the claims of anti-state elements regarding ‘freedom’ as hollow, pointing out that even in their yesterday’s attacks, they could not liberate a single union council or even a single ward. He reiterated that the government was not prepared to surrender even for a second. He questioned why Baloch youth are being pushed into a futile conflict, warning of conspiracies designed to alienate them from the state.”
Sarfraz Bugti accused hostile elements of acting on India’s direction to destabilize Pakistan whenever it makes economic or diplomatic progress. He questioned whether the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was a registered political party eligible for dialogue, stressing that the group was imposing a foreign agenda through guns.
He criticized those who have propagated a misleading narrative across the country for the past thirty years, linking it with unparalleled development in Balochistan and at times portraying it as a political issue. He clarified that in reality, it is terrorism, not politics. He warned against those who attempt to rationalize violence under the guise of dialogue, describing such efforts as direct support to the BLA.
The Chief Minister emphasized that if holding dialogue with terrorist organizations genuinely resolves issues, it would be welcomed. However, he declared that if the BLA seeks to impose surrender, “we will never accept it. We will fight this war for a thousand years if necessary, because this is our motherland and we will defend it.”
Sarfraz Bugti said “This is a completely intelligence-driven war, backed by RAW, and has been ongoing for the last thirteen years, for which we possess solid evidence.”
He added that terrorists may attempt to destabilize the country, but they cannot take a single inch of Pakistan. “Pakistan is unbreakable, and these elements will never succeed,” he said. Sarfraz Bugti stressed that the state, its army, and police are responsible forces that do not resort to brutality, unlike militants.
Sarfraz Bugti denounced the narrative that “the Balochistan issue” could not be resolved through force, clarifying that the government has never used indiscriminate force, instead of conducting small IBOs operations against militants.
The Chief Minister said that combing operations are continuing and that terrorists will not be allowed to escape. He emphasized that the sacrifices of police, Frontier Corps personnel, and innocent civilians will not go in vain, declaring that militants will be relentlessly pursued and eliminated.
He noted that the governance model in Balochistan is improving, with meritocracy being promoted across the province. All Deputy Commissioners and officers have been appointed on merit, and the Chairman of the Balochistan Public Service Commission (BPSC) was also selected purely on merit.
Sarfraz Bugti added that the youth of Balochistan are gaining employment opportunities through transparent processes, including the use of modern technology such as AI to ensure fairness.
The government, he said, is actively engaging with youth through dialogues and jirgas, countering propaganda spread on social media. He shared that thousands of such engagements are being conducted every month across the province to strengthen trust and unity.
The Chief Minister vowed that security and development will go hand in hand with governance reforms and promotion of meritocracy, ensuring that Balochistan moves toward long-lasting peace and prosperity.
Sarfraz Bugti disclosed that militants had targeted Safe City cameras in Quetta, but vowed to expand surveillance by installing CCTV cameras in eight cities.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the National Action Plan (NAP) remains the most significant counter terrorism framework after the Constitution. He warned that reconciliation policies of the past had been damaging, and vowed that militants would be brought to justice without sympathy for their families.