Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has asserted that the province’s security challenges cannot be resolved politically and require a firm military approach. His remarks follow a wave of coordinated attacks across 12 towns that left at least 31 civilians and 17 security personnel dead.
Bugti confirmed that 145 militants were killed during the operations, while the actual number of attackers ranged from 200 to 250, much lower than earlier estimates circulating in the media. He emphasized that militant groups often use civilians as human shields during urban assaults.
The chief minister estimated that the province hosts between 4,000 and 5,000 militants, sympathizers, and facilitators. He attributed the resurgence of organized militant activity since 2021 to what he described as a “policy of appeasement” adopted after 2018, which allowed insurgents to regroup and strengthen.
“Before 2018, militant networks were on the run due to visible security presence and FC checkpoints. After 2018, a shift in policy allowed them to reorganize,” Bugti said, noting that his government reviewed this approach upon assuming office in 2024.
Bugti also addressed reports about senior militant commander Bashir Zeb, indicating that while his exact location could not be fully verified, the intelligence points to him operating from Afghanistan. He stressed that hostile elements continue to exploit Afghan soil against Pakistan.
The chief minister reiterated that public support remains largely with the state, with only a small fraction sympathetic to insurgents — a pattern common in insurgency-affected regions globally.
He further accused the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) of being backed by foreign interests, targeting civilians across Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar, and Pasni. Bugti condemned attacks in Gwadar that killed five women and three children and dismissed any notion of negotiating with groups seeking to impose ideology through violence.
“We will not surrender. Militants may attempt to destabilize, but not an inch of our country will be compromised,” he declared, reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to restoring security.
