By Staff Reporter
QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged to crush terrorism in Balochistan on Thursday, as he visited the restive province reeling from a surge in militant attacks that have killed at least 50 people, including security forces.
Sharif condemned the attacks as a “wicked scheme” devised by militants, and pledged to remove “all obstacles from the path to progress” in the province.
“Terrorist organisations and the khawarij, who are Pakistan’s enemies, and infiltrators from within concocted this impure scheme, as a result of which Pakistanis were martyred,” the premier said.
“There has been a wave of great concern among the people across Pakistan due to the recent heartrending incident that occurred in Balochistan. Everyone is aggrieved on this incident.”
The prime minister’s visit came after dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched numerous attacks on Sunday midnight across the province, targeting security personnel and civilians, particularly those from Punjab.
At least 50 people, including 14 security men, lost their lives as militants went on a rampage, storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles.
In Musakhail, militants killed 23 people after checking their ID documents. In Khadkocha, they blocked a highway, stormed a police station, and held Levies officials hostage. In Kalat, attacks on a Levies station, two hotels, and a tribal elder’s residence left 11 dead and nine injured.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, is home to the ethnic Baloch minority, who claim discrimination and exploitation by the central government, fueling a separatist insurgency demanding independence. Islamic militants also operate in the province.
The outlawed BLA, designated as a terrorist organization by Pakistan and the US, seeks a sovereign state encompassing territories in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.
Balochistan is home to key mining projects, including Reko Diq, run by mining giant Barrick Gold, and believed to be one of the world’s largest gold and copper mines. China also operates a gold and copper mine in the province and is building a port in the seaside city of Gwadar.
Sharif chaired a high-level meeting of the National Action Plan’s provincial apex committee in Quetta, attended by top government and security officials, including Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti.
“However, I think that at the moment, we have to decide that we must fully eradicate terrorism from Balochistan through our collective vision, power, and unwavering determination,” the PM said.
“We will root out terrorism that has surged again since 2018 from not just Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but from the entire country.”
Sharif announced the deployment of 48 Common Training Programme officers in the province for a year, with incentives including air tickets for their families and additional points for performance-based evaluations. “Half of the officers will be deployed immediately and remaining after six months.”
A statement from the Sharif’s office said the committee meeting unequivocally condemned the terrorist attacks targeting innocent Pakistanis in Balochistan, vowing to intensify counter-terrorism efforts to eradicate terrorism in the province.
“The committee decided to further solidify intelligence sharing and coordination among Security Forces and law enforcement agencies,” the statement added, following a comprehensive review of the security situation in Balochistan and ongoing operations against terrorists.
The committee agreed to enhance the capacity of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), police, levies, and associated departments in the province to combat terrorism.
“The Prime Minister and Army Chief reaffirmed their resolve to prevent inimical forces from disrupting the hard-earned peace and development of Balochistan at any cost.”
The committee pledged to bring the planners, instigators, facilitators, and perpetrators of the attacks to justice, ensuring the protection of citizens’ lives and properties at all costs.
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