Balochistan now a hotbed of regional, global proxy war: army chief

We shall continue to fight till peace prevails across the province, says General Raheel Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Army chief General Raheel Sharif has said Balochistan has become a hotbed of proxy wars for regional and global powers pursuing a grand strategy.

Speaking at a seminar on peace and prosperity in Quetta on Tuesday, General Raheel said foreign adversaries were more than eager to exploit any opportunity to destabilise Pakistan by “harbouring, training and funding dissidents and militants.”

“This is a battle that we all are fighting, and we shall continue to fight till peace prevails across the width and breadth of the province,” he said.

General Raheel said the law enforcement agencies and the people of Balochistan had defended the integrity of Pakistan with unflinching resolve.

“Terrorists were externally supported and internally facilitated,” he said.



The COAS said the LEAs had conducted over 2,400 intelligence-based operations in Balochistan since August 2014 during which 204 lives were sacrificed.

Giving his perspective on the current security situation, General Raheel said overtime, diverse and divergent interests have led the province to most complex problems.

Lack of developed infrastructure, extreme poverty, poor educational and health facilities, and rampant unemployment lend credibility to the complaints of the aggrieved section of society, he added.

The army said issues were further complicated by the foreign interference across a porous border spanning hundreds of kilometers, a challenge for the civil armed forces of the province.

For this purpose, efforts are underway for the capacity building of security forces,” he said.

“I understand that use of force brings nothing but destruction, distress and suffering, often to those who had no part in it. Involvement of the people and state institutions, therefore, is the correct way forward for the prosperity of Balochistan.”

Youths are Balochistan's future, army chief said, adding Pakistan Army was working to impart education to 25,000 youngsters of the province.

#COAS at Seminar in Qta; Announced to set up NUST Campus at Qta to cater for youth of Balochistan.Full text Speech released on ISPR page

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) February 2, 2016