• Chairs NAP’s apex committee meeting in Quetta, reviews security situation
• Announces policy to depute all 48th Common Group officers in Balochistan
• Committee agrees to enhance intelligence sharing

QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday pledged to thwart any attempts by hostile forces to disrupt Balochistan’s hard-earned peace and development at any cost.

Chairing a meeting of the National Action Plan’s Apex Committee in Quetta, where he arrived earlier in the day to assess the province’s security situation, PM Shehbaz condemned the recent deadly attacks in Balochistan as a “wicked scheme” devised by militants.

His remarks came days after several militants associated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched a series of attacks across the province, targeting security personnel and civilians. The violence claimed at least 50 lives, including 14 security officials. Militants stormed police stations, sabotaged railway tracks and set fire to nearly three dozen vehicles. In response, security forces killed 21 militants.

Among those killed were 23 people in Musakhail, mostly labourers from Punjab, who were offloaded from trucks and vans and shot dead after an identity check.

Thursday’s meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir, federal ministers for planning, interior, commerce and information, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, key provincial ministers, provincial secretaries, Balochistan corps commander and senior civil, police, intelligence and military officials.

Speaking at the meeting, PM Shehbaz commended the sacrifices and contributions of the people of Balochistan towards national progress and development and resolved that enemies of Pakistan, bent on creating unrest in Balochistan, would be defeated with full force and national support.

“Terrorist organisations and the Khawarij, who are Pakistan’s enemies and infiltrators from within concocted this impure scheme, as a result of which Pakistanis were martyred,” the premier told the committee.

“There has been a wave of great concern among the people across Pakistan due to the recent heartrending incident that occurred in Balochistan,” he said. “Everyone is aggrieved on this incident.”

Highlighting that the province was “extremely important and beautiful”, PM Shehbaz stressed the need to remove “all obstacles from its path to progress”.

The prime minister said that the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives for the motherland and innocent civilians would not go to waste. He made it clear that dialogues could only be possible with those who respect the Constitution of Pakistan and salute the national flag.

The committee unequivocally condemned the attacks targeting innocent Pakistanis and resolved to intensify counterterrorism efforts in the province, leveraging multi-domain resources to eradicate terrorism.

A comprehensive review of the security situation in Balochistan and ongoing operations against terrorists was conducted, and the committee decided to further solidify intelligence sharing and coordination among security forces and law enforcement agencies.

The forum also agreed to enhance the capacity of the Counterterrorism Depart­m­ent (CTD), police, Levies and associated departments. It vowed to bring the planners, instigators, facilitators and perpetrators of the recent attacks to justice, ensuring the protection of citizens’ lives and properties at all costs. At the end of the meeting, the prime minister also distributed cheques among the families of those who were martyred in the attacks.

Common Group Officers

PM Shehbaz also said that the federal government had decided to depute all the police and civil officers of the 48th Common Group in Balochistan without discrimination to ensure peace, stability and development of the province.

“After discussion with the interior minister, the army chief and other relevant high authorities, we have made a policy under which all the talented and efficient officers will be deployed in various districts and divisions of the province,” he said in his concluding remarks.

Announcing the policy, he said half of the officers of the 48th Common Group, both police and civil, would be posted to Balochistan immediately for one year. The remaining half of the officers would be posted six months after their initial deployment and serve for one year.

Similarly, he said after one year, the first half of the officers from the 49th Common Group would be posted to Balochistan for one year. After one and a half years, the remaining half of the officers from the 49th Group would be posted to Balochistan for one year.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2024