Balochistan Sees More Than 60,000 Operations, Official Says
A senior Balochistan official said on Tuesday that more than 60,000 operations of various kinds had been carried out across the Balochistan as the government expands its efforts to counter militancy.
Additional Chief Secretary for Home Hamza Shafqat made the remarks at a press conference in Quetta alongside Home Minister Ziaullah Langove and Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information Shahid Rind.
Shafqat said the government had introduced 18 laws and established 17 departments over the past two years. He said work was continuing under the National Action Plan and other counter-terrorism initiatives.
He also cited the establishment of a “faceless court” and outlined projects including the Safe City initiative, a forensic agency, the Quetta Security Board and the installation of modern surveillance cameras. The government had allocated Rs14 billion to counter-terrorism measures, he said.
Shafqat added that more than 1.1 million Afghan nationals had returned to Afghanistan. Measures were also being taken to improve security on highways, with officials aiming to secure the Quetta–Karachi and Quetta–Taftan routes within three to four months.
Langove said effective legislation and support for Pakistani forces were essential to counter militancy, adding that the provincial government was providing the forces with the resources needed for their operations.
He criticised recent remarks by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, calling them misleading. Langove argued that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could have avoided an emergency situation if its government had adopted similar measures and cooperated with federal authorities and security forces.
Rind said Balochistan’s counter-terrorism laws had been approved by both the provincial cabinet and assembly, and that Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had consulted the opposition during the legislative process.
On emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rind referred to the provincial chief minister’s attempts to organise a march towards Islamabad. He said Balochistan’s chief minister had not announced a similar march.
Langove also confirmed the abduction of Aurangzeb Majeed, younger brother of Balochistan Assembly member and adviser on sports and youth affairs Meena Majeed.
