By Eric Vandenbroeck and co-workers
PM Offers Talks To
Bring ‘Misled’ Back Into Fold
Referred to us initially in the context of the
Pahalgam attack as violence in restive Balochistan
escalates, leading to a steep decline in the security situation, Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday emphasized the need for talks to
resolve the issues faced by the province, saying people “misled” by terrorists
must be brought back on board.
Dozens of armed Balochistan separatists briefly seized control of a
high-security area in a city in southwestern Pakistan last Friday. The
outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, which was designated a terror
group by the United States in 2019, claimed responsibility for the attack. In a
statement, BLA said its fighters had taken control of key government buildings
in Sorab.
Shahid Rind, a
spokesman for the Balochistan government, blamed
Indian proxies for the attack without offering any evidence. There was no
immediate comment from New Delhi.
Sorab, a city known
for its apple and grape orchards, is located near a key China-Pakistan trade
route, which includes roads and rail systems to link western China’s Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s southwestern
Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.
“We must make efforts
to bring back the people who were misled [by the terrorists] onto the wrong
track,” he said while speaking at the ‘Balochistan
Grand Jirga’ in Quetta. He added that economic or social injustices cannot happen in Balochistan during
his rule and stressed the need for collectively solving the issues through
talks.
“If there are any
concerns, brothers need to sit together to solve those issues,” he said. “The
blood-thirsty terrorists who are against Pakistan’s success and welfare must be
stopped. I want to ask what the gaps [there] are that
we can fill with your suggestions [to solve problems],” Dawn.com quoted him as
saying.
“The terrorists [in Balochistan] must not be tolerated by the public,
government or armed forces,” he added.
It may be noted that
the security situation in Balochistan has worsened
in recent months, as militants, long involved in a low-level insurgency, have
stepped up the frequency and intensity of their attacks.
According to the
state-run APP, the premier said all provinces were like brothers and would equally
share resources. The federal government was spending Rs70 billion on the solarisation project in Balochistan,
he said, adding that Rs150 billion would be diverted for the highway N-25 in Balochistan.
These funds would be
acquired from the amount which the government had been collecting due to a
decrease in the price of petroleum products in the international market. Last
month, PM Shehbaz announced that instead of passing on the relief of reduced
oil prices to consumers, the government would use the money for the
reconstruction of the N-25 Highway and completion of Phase-II of the Kachhi
Canal project in Balochistan.
The prime minister
said the government would allocate Rs1,000 billion for the Public Sector
Development Programme (PSDP) this year, and Rs250
billion from the fund would be allocated for development projects in Balochistan.
Underneath the Talha
Saeed, the mastermind of the attack in Mumbai.
He recalled that
during his tenure as the Punjab chief minister, he had allocated a 10 per cent
quota for the students of Balochistan in different
schemes launched by Punjab, including laptop schemes and scholarships in
foreign and provincial educational institutions.
In the past, Rs2
billion were allocated for a cardiac hospital in Balochistan,
he said. He further recalled that Punjab had agreed to give part of its funds
from the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to Balochistan
given its development needs due to its large area. In today’s value, the funds
diverted to Balochistan amounted to Rs160 billion,
the PM explained.
The NFC award was
signed in Lahore in 2010 after three days of discussions among the national
leadership, including President Asif Ali Zardari, then-prime minister Syed
Yousaf Raza Gilani, and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, he added.
He said a lot of
development projects were undertaken in Balochistan
during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure as the PM, while President Zardari initiated
Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan
for the province.
Talking about
incidents of terrorism in Balochistan, he said
terrorists were blood thirsty and were against the progress of Pakistan and
were undertaking heinous acts at the behest of foreign elements.
He said terrorists in
Balochistan were foreign agents who had resorted to barbarity but they would not be tolerated by the government
and armed forces of Pakistan.
Referring to the
latest incident of violence in Sorab, he said the country could not make
progress without peace.
Staff College address
In a separate
address, PM Shehbaz stressed the need for continued synergy between all
elements to address challenges and for the pursuit of national interests as he
reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the armed forces in their
mission to protect the nation.
He made these remarks
while addressing the faculty and graduating officers during his visit to the
Command and Staff College, Quetta.
In his speech, the PM
outlined a comprehensive vision for national resilience. “Pakistan’s threats
are no longer limited to traditional warfare,” he said, adding, “Our military,
political, and economic institutions must be equally prepared to face hybrid
challenges, from border security to economic sabotage.”
Speaking about
Pahalgam tensions with India, he said Pakistan responded firmly, diplomatically
and militarily.
“India tried to make
water a weapon, but we have drawn a red line. Pakistan will never allow its
water rights to be violated,” he added.
He praised the
leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar
for their strategic foresight, asserting that Pakistan’s armed forces and
people stand united against any aggression.
“The recent tensions
have only boosted the morale of our nation and forces,” he remarked.
He noted that when he
assumed office for a 16-month tenure, the country was facing severe challenges,
but none were insurmountable. “Our focus remains on the economy, reforms, and
counterterrorism,” he said.
He pointed to
significant achievements since the beginning of economic reforms in March 2024.
“Tax revenue has increased by 28 per cent compared to last year. The
introduction of a faceless assessment system at Karachi Port has improved
transparency. Inflation has dropped from 38% to single digits. The Pakistani
rupee is now stable,” he added.
He also stressed the
government’s zero-tolerance policy on corruption, crediting tough decisions and
anti-smuggling measures for economic stabilisation.
“We are introducing modern technologies, including crypto regulation and
blockchain, to align Pakistan with the global financial landscape,” he
announced.
He reaffirmed
Pakistan’s strong ties with countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Qatar, and the Gulf states. “
The PM commended the
Pakistan Armed Forces during the hostilities with India and praised their
bravery, professionalism, and sacrifices. Army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim
Munir, acting Balochistan governor Abdul Khaliq
Achakzai, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, and high-ranking military and civil
officials attended the event.
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