Defence minister urges large-scale troop deployment in Balochistan

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that Pakistan needed to deploy large numbers of troops in Balochistan because of the province’s vast geography amid the serious security situation and recent spate of attacks.

The statement comes after a series of coordinated attacks at multiple locations in Balochistan that occurred a day earlier. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), 92 terrorists were killed as security forces repelled the attacks across the province on Saturday, while 15 security personnel were also martyred in combat.

“Terrorists of Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Hindustan attempted to disturb the peace of Balochistan by conducting multiple terrorist activities around Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni,” the ISPR said in a statement on Saturday. Security sources said today that 22 more terrorists were killed during overnight follow-up actions with the latest casualties bringing the total number of terrorists killed in operations over the past three days to at least 177.

Speaking in the National Assembly (NA) on the matter, Asif said: "Balochistan constitutes over 40% of Pakistan geographically ... to control it is much difficult than a populated city or area and it needs deployment of massive forces. Our troops are deployed there and are in action against them (terrorists) but they are physically handicapped by guarding and patrolling such a big area."

The defence minister said the government tightened enforcement to curb smuggling, triggering a major protest at the Chaman border. He said some people argue the state should negotiate with nationalist movements, but claimed the protest movement was driven by commercial interests rather than politics or nationalism.

Asif alleged smugglers were previously earning up to Rs4 billion a day from oil smuggling, and said the agitation was aimed at recouping business losses.

He also alleged criminal groups were operating under the banner of the banned Baloch Liberation Army terrorist group and providing protection to smugglers, saying: “In Balochistan, tribal elders, the bureaucracy and those running separatist movements have formed a nexus.”

Asif said 177 terrorists had been killed in the last two days, while 16 security personnel and 33 civilians were killed.

Asif urged Pakistan’s politicians to unite behind the Pakistan Army in the fight against terrorism, saying “we should set aside our differences and we all will have to be one on this issue.”

He also criticised political point-scoring around victims’ funerals, saying: “It cannot happen that we go to offer funeral prayers for martyrs and someone does not attend the funerals for political interests. We will absolutely not allow this.”

Defence minister said state would not allow anyone to justify violence by framing it as a freedom struggle, calling such arguments a cover for criminal activity.

“Pakistan’s state narrative is that nobody in Pakistan will be allowed to rationalise violence,” Asif said. “When you try to rationalise violence — that this is a freedom movement — then it’s not acceptable, because it’s not true. It’s a cover to legitimise criminal activities.”

Asif said the government would not hold negotiations with those it considers terrorists, and vowed a forceful response to violence.

“I want to assure that there will be no negotiations with these people,” he said. “The way terrorists are using brutal force, we will answer them with the same force.

Turning to development and governance, Asif cited what he described as expanded public services in the province. He said Balochistan had 15,096 schools, 13 cadet colleges and 13 major hospitals, while arguing that a narrative of deprivation was being built around the province.

He said Balochistan’s National Finance Commission (NFC) Award share stood at Rs933 billion, and alleged that smuggled Iranian oil was openly sold, including at fuel pumps in central Quetta.

He blamed the tribal sardari system for looting the province’s resources and obstructing development, calling corruption “a termite” present in Balochistan, other provinces and the federal government. He said tackling corruption required national unity.

Asif said Balochistan had more airports than any other province and that non-operational facilities were being made functional. He also made claims about the missing persons issue, alleging that some people listed as missing were living outside the country and that their families were receiving money.

He questioned the source of weapons used by terrorists, saying: “Those fighting in Balochistan have weapons that even the security forces do not have. Can anyone tell where such advanced weapons are coming from?”

He added: “These terrorists have weapons worth $20,000. Someone should tell us who is supplying them weapons. They have American weapons.”

Referring to an incident involving the Jaffar Express, Asif said labourers had been killed and questioned the justification for attacking civilians. “Killing innocent people — what narrative is that?” he said.

Speaking to reporters in his hometown of Sialkot a day ago, Asif had said Pakistan’s findings showed that “all the linkages point towards India” in the recent attacks across Balochistan that were claimed by the BLA.

He said the BLA “is an internationally recognised terrorist organisation and banned internationally”, adding that it seeks to maintain its visibility “to get foreign funding by India”. He said the group had carried out attacks on civilians, including kidnappings of civilians and government employees.

Achakzai linked terrorism challenge to past policy

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai's speech was paused on YouTube, while the audio was also cut in the press lounge. Opposition lawmakers staged a protest and sought a ruling from the speaker that the speech be shown live.

Achakzai, addressing the House, said he did not object if his speech was not shown, but insisted he needed to speak for the record. He said he was not a supporter of terrorism “in any form”, but questioned how attackers were able to operate and why the response was delayed.

“Tell me, there have been hundreds of attacks, they came and carried out attacks in place after place,” he said. “Why didn’t our security forces know that such a big attack was being planned?”

He further questioned intelligence failures and said accountability was necessary. “How did people come and roam around in 15 districts?” he said. “If there was an intentional lapse, then a very big injustice was done.”

Achakzai also linked Pakistan’s terrorism challenge to past policy choices, raising questions about the country’s role in the Afghan conflict and the long-term impact of armed mobilisation. “We are fed up with terrorism today — didn’t we bring this terrorism by joining hands with America?” he said, referring to the United States. “Didn’t we train the Taliban?”

He said Ziaul Haq had described fighters in Afghanistan as “freedom fighters”, and argued that the “Kalashnikov culture” spread after the Afghan jihad.

Achakzai also called for access to PTI founder Imran Khan by his personal physicians, urging authorities to allow medical examination by independent doctors. “Send two doctors so they can examine Imran Khan,” he said.

He said he would write to PM Shehbaz Sharif asking that the detained PTI founder’s personal doctors be allowed to check him. “If a prisoner’s doctors examine him, what catastrophe will happen?” he said.