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QUETTA, Nov 12 (APP):Chief Minister (CM) Mir Sarfraz Bugti reaffirmed the Balochistan government’s unwavering commitment to establishing state authority and combating terrorism, declaring that the fight against extremism is not the sole responsibility of security forces but a collective duty of every citizen.
He expressed these remarks during an address and interactive session with students at Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University (SBKWU) in Quetta, held to commemorate Iqbal Day.
CM Bugti paid tribute to Allama Muhammad Iqbal, stating that the nation is breathing in the free state dreamt of by Iqbal for the Muslims of the subcontinent.
“Iqbal gave us the message of Khudi, awareness, and steadfastness,” the CM said. “His philosophy is a guiding light for our youth that no nation can progress without education and action.”
He stressed that education and action are essential for national progress and expressed his desire for every daughter of Balochistan to pursue higher education and contribute proudly to the country’s development.
He added that he was delighted to visit universities, as they are the centers for the intellectual training and development of the nation.
The CM warned of ongoing conspiracies aimed at weakening Pakistan through terrorism, propaganda, and sectarian divisions. He criticized the misuse of the missing persons issue to defame Balochistan, noting that similar cases exist in other provinces.
He condemned selective activism, adding that human rights advocates often ignore the murder of innocent citizens by terrorists.
Addressing internet shutdowns, CM Bugti defended the measure as a necessary security tool, prioritizing human lives and peace over digital access. He assured that cable internet would be provided to educational institutions to avoid academic disruption.
Sarfraz Bugti revealed disturbing cases of radicalization within academic circles which a professor misused state resources to harm national interests and was arrested and a second-year student was involved in the murder of former Chief Justice Noor Muhammad Muskanzai, radicalized via a social media app.”
“Anti-state organizations are targeting students to turn them into suicide bombers,” CM Bugti revealed.
He urged students to protect their futures and honor their families’ dreams.
To empower women and promote education, CM Sarfraz Bugti announced a comprehensive development package for SBKWU.
The CM announced that Rs 10 million will be allocated for the provision of books to the university library.
The university will be fully transitioned to solar power and the auditorium will be upgraded to be one of the best in the country and will be named after the university’s first Vice Chancellor.
The government will provide ten new buses, 100 laptops for faculty members, and 300 laptops for female students.
He said that ten electric vehicles will be provided for internal movement within the campus, to be operated exclusively by women staff/students.
He also announced the expansion of the Pink Scooty Scheme for female students, which will be launched through a comprehensive banking scheme. The CM promised that students in Balochistan would receive these scooties at 40 percent less cost compared to Punjab.
“Move forward with confidence, drive your scooties. If anyone harasses you, report it. The government will deal with such individuals severely and they will be punished,” he vowed.
The Chief Minister urged the students to focus on education, adopt patriotism, and become upstanding, determined, and conscious citizens by following the path laid out by Allama Iqbal.
CM Bugti reiterated the government’s support for victims of violence, referencing a woman from Musakhail whose husband and son were murdered.
He pledged to convert all of Balochistan into an ‘A’ Area to ensure uniform law enforcement.
He declared an open war against terrorism, warning against elements pushing the Baloch people into fruitless conflict, and cited the Kurdish movement as a cautionary example.
The event was also attended by Provincial Education Minister Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani, Vice Chancellor Dr Rubina Mushtaq, Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar, Mir Shoaib Nosherwani, Parliamentary Secretaries, Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, and other senior officials.