Terrorists undermining Pakistan in the name of nationalism: Balochistan CM

Ruling out talks with terrorists who carried out Aug 26 deadly attacks that claimed over 50 lives in Balochistan, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti vowed on Sunday that the government would certainly chase the terrorists and wipe them out.

"It was not a 'Baloch' individual who killed a Punjabi, but the 'terrorists' who targeted Pakistanis. They have no religion or nationality," CM Bugti stated while addressing a press conference at a local hotel in Lahore.

The chief minister said that "some elements" were bent on undermining Pakistan in the name of nationalism.

Lamenting the Musakhel massacre, he said innocent citizens from Punjab, were brutally killed by terrorists after being forcibly removed from a bus.

"These are terrorists, not disillusioned Balochs," the CM insisted. "The state will stand with the oppressed, and this has nothing to do with nationalism."

The province witnessed one of the deadliest attacks on August 26 wherein over 50 people, including 14 security personnel, were martyred in different terrorist attacks.

He reiterated that the state would not show any leniency to the terrorists, adding that the Balochistan government along with the security forces would take revenge on the terrorists.

Referring to the National Action Plan’s provincial apex committee meeting three days ago, the chief minister thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir for their Quetta visits during which important decisions were taken to eliminate terrorists.

“We will take the facilitators and sympathisers of the terrorists to task.”

He said the government had solid evidence that “it is a [Indian intelligence agency’s] RAW-funded war” and an organised plot was prepared to sabotage the country [via disturbing peace situation] in Balochistan.

To a question, CM Bugti said that the terrorists could not choose hard targets, therefore, they were going after “soft targets” by killing common people and labourers.

The chief minister once again ruled out dialogue with those elements who were involved in the killings of innocent people and rejecting the Constitution of Pakistan.

The politico clarified that no operation was being conducted in Balochistan, however, the government would certainly chase the terrorists and wipe them out.

Last week, CM Bugti pledged that the state would establish its writ and take all necessary steps to cope with security challenges after a surge in terrorism in the province.

Vowing to bring the situation under control via smart intelligence-based operations (IBOs), Bugti, in the same statement, revealed that the government was pursuing a smart kinetic approach against terrorists as they lacked strong capacity in Balochistan.

He also hinted at limiting 4G internet services in Balochistan following a surge in terrorist attacks and propaganda by anti-state elements against the state.