Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has ruled out negotiations with terrorists and vowed that the province’s fight against terrorism will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated, declaring that the government and security forces are now prepared for “major surgery” against armed groups.
Bugti made the remarks during an interaction with a delegation of 30 senior journalists and media professionals visiting Quetta to review the province’s security, peace and development challenges. He said the civil and military leadership was fully united in its counterterrorism policy, with no ambiguity or confusion over the state’s position.
“We are in a state of war,” Bugti said, stressing that the government had never claimed that the security situation in Balochistan was normal. He acknowledged the difficult conditions under which security forces were operating and said all state institutions were working in complete coordination to confront the terrorist threat.
The chief minister categorically rejected dialogue with those who had taken up arms against the state or were raising slogans for Pakistan’s disintegration. Referring to armed and proscribed organizations including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), he said such groups could not be allowed to operate and that armed action was now the only remaining option.
“The time has come for major surgery,” Bugti said, underlining the government’s determination to pursue the fight against terrorism.
Security and Governance Measures
Bugti said the provincial government was simultaneously pursuing institutional measures aimed at strengthening the province’s security architecture. These include implementation of the Provincial Action Plan, police reforms, integration of the Levies Force into the police, the Safe City project, new legislation and improved coordination among law-enforcement agencies.
He said the province could not be effectively governed entirely from Quetta and argued that any future division of Balochistan into new provinces should be based on administrative considerations rather than ethnic identity.
On the battle of narratives, Bugti said popularity alone could not determine the value of a narrative. What mattered, he said, was whether a narrative was based on truth and righteousness.
The chief minister also acknowledged that corruption had not been completely eliminated but maintained that it had declined compared with the past. He said the government was taking steps to ensure merit in educational institutions and government departments.
Development and Mineral Resources
Bugti said development work in Balochistan was progressing at a faster pace than in the past, with several projects being completed in record time. The provincial government, he said, was focused on making development more effective, result-oriented and responsive to public needs.
He also highlighted efforts to utilize Balochistan’s vast mineral resources more effectively so that they could generate greater economic benefits for the people of the province.
On the repatriation of foreign nationals, Bugti said around 1.1 million Afghan refugees and other foreign nationals had been returned from Balochistan to their respective countries.
Addressing the issue of missing persons, he said the matter had at times been presented by national media and other forums without the correct context, making it difficult for an accurate picture of the situation to emerge.
Security Briefing and Visit to CMH
Earlier, the media delegation visited Quetta Corps Headquarters, where senior security officials briefed the journalists on the prevailing security situation, the challenges confronting the province and measures being taken to restore stability.
The officials reiterated that counterterrorism operations would continue until terrorists were completely eliminated from Balochistan, while stressing that the province’s development journey would continue alongside efforts to maintain peace and security.
The delegation was also shown weapons and ammunition recovered from terrorists during security operations.
The journalists later visited Combined Military Hospital Quetta, where civilians and security personnel injured in various acts of terrorism were receiving treatment.
The visit provided the delegation with a firsthand view of both the security challenges confronting Balochistan and the state’s ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism while maintaining the province’s development trajectory.
