Balochistan govt rejects comparison with K-P, says cooperating with Centre on combatting terrorism

Balochistan’s security forces carried out more than 60,000 IBOs, raids over the past two years, says official

QUETTA:

The Balochistan government on Tuesday rejected comparisons with the former provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), stating that, unlike the latter, it was cooperating with the federal government in the fight against terrorism.

Speaking at a press conference in Quetta, Balochistan Home and Tribal Affairs Minister Mir Ziaullah Langau rejected comparisons between the two provinces, saying misleading statements about the province’s security situation were unhelpful at a time when national unity was needed to combat terrorism.

The minister said greater cooperation by the K-P government with federal authorities and security forces in implementing the National Action Plan could have helped avoid the need for emergency measures, further calling on political leaders to support state institutions and work together to address the country’s security challenges.

Read: Govt calls on all political parties to unite, forge consensus against terrorism and set aside differences

Langau also criticised Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over his remarks concerning Balochistan and security forces, further noting that Rehman and his party had also faced difficult circumstances and suffered from terrorism.

During the press conference, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hamza Shafqaat informed that Balochistan’s security forces had carried out more than 60,000 intelligence-based operations and raids over the past two years, killing 1,100 suspected terrorists and arresting 450 others.

Shafqaat said the fight against terrorism had also claimed the lives of more than 300 police officers and other security personnel, while 551 civilians had been killed in terrorist attacks.

He said the provincial government had introduced 18 laws and established 17 departments to strengthen its counterterrorism efforts. A faceless court had also been established, with cases involving 90 individuals registered, he added.

Shafqaat said around 1.1 million Afghan nationals had returned to Afghanistan. He added that the government was taking steps to improve security on national highways and had digitised the Home Department and arms licensing system to improve administrative efficiency.

He said the Balochistan government stood firmly with security forces and stressed that success in the fight against terrorism required cooperation among provincial administrations, the federal government and security institutions.

Read More: Balochistan govt announces ‘all-out war’ against terrorists amid rising unrest

Adviser to the chief minister of Balochistan for Information and Political Affairs Shahid Rind rejected claims that the K-P government had been removed because it failed to approve the Mines and Minerals Act.

He said Balochistan was reviewing its own mining legislation and consulting opposition parties to address their concerns and build consensus, further adding that Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti had taken the opposition into confidence during the legislative process and that the provincial cabinet and assembly had approved laws aimed at combating terrorism.

Referring to political developments in K-P, Rind said the provincial chief minister’s reported attempts to march towards Islamabad were among the factors surrounding the imposition of emergency measures there. He added that the Balochistan chief minister had not announced any similar march towards the federal capital.

The officials reiterated that the provincial government would continue working with security forces to combat terrorism and improve security across Balochistan.