Security tops agenda of PM's Quetta visit

Shehbaz to meet Balochistan CM, governor today

QUETTA:

The restoration of peace and the enforcement of government authority remain significant challenges for the Balochistan government as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to visit Quetta on Wednesday.

The visit comes in response to a recent surge in violent attacks by Baloch separatist militant groups, which have shaken the province. In a particularly gruesome incident, 23 passengers were brutally murdered after being offloaded from a bus, identified one by one, and executed.

Balochistan Governor Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, and Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti will be meeting the premier during his visit.

The prime minister is scheduled to chair an apex committee meeting to review the security situation. However, experts and local observers argue that a more comprehensive approach is needed to address the ongoing unrest.

"He should convene an all-parties conference (APC) to sort out issues," said Shehzada Zulfiqar, a Quetta-based senior journalist. Zulfiqar emphasised the importance of engaging all stakeholders, particularly nationalist political forces, to find an amicable solution to the complex issues plaguing the province.

The call for an APC is grounded in the belief that military and administrative measures alone cannot bring lasting peace to Balochistan. "The government should address administrative issues and also find a political solution," Zulfiqar added, highlighting the need for a multifaceted strategy.

Ayub Tareen, another senior journalist, expressed optimism about the prime minister's visit, but stressed the importance of concrete actions over mere rhetoric. "High hopes are pinned on the PM's visit, especially since the Balochistan police chief has been changed ahead of his arrival," Tareen noted.

He urged the government to ensure that this visit marks a turning point in the province's troubled history.