Home Minister Langov says 'certain' officials, politicians, NGOs financing terrorists in Balochistan

Stresses intelligence agencies have evidence of terrorist support networks

QUETTA:

Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langov on Friday said some government officials, politicians and not-for-profit organisations were financing and supporting terrorists in the province.

The minister expressed these views on the security situation of Balochistan while addressing a meeting of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) held at the Serena Hotel in Quetta.

“Certain government officials, political figures and non-governmental organisations (NGO) are financially supporting and backing outlawed terrorist organisations in Balochistan,” the minister said during the meeting.

Langov, however, did not name any government official, politician or NGO involved.

He further revealed that intelligence agencies had gathered evidence of financial ties between the banned outfits and the individuals, as well as the organisations assisting them.

Read: Security forces kill seven terrorists in two Balochistan operations: state media

The home minister said that the groups were not fighting for the rights of the people of Balochistan but were pursuing a foreign-sponsored agenda aimed at creating unrest in the province and the country.

According to Langov, the terrorist organisations were also relying on organised criminal activities to finance their operations.

He said they were extorting traders, farmers and commercial transporters, besides carrying out highway robberies and looting passengers travelling on major routes.

The minister cited the recent abduction of two members of the Hazara community as an example of what he described as terror financing through ransom. He said the two hostages were released after a ransom payment of Rs7 million.

He added that security agencies had launched intelligence-based operations to trace the financial networks and identify government officials and other entities suspected of facilitating these banned terrorist organisations.