Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Sunday clarified that no military operation is taking place in the province, stressing that only intelligence-based operations (IBOs) are being conducted against terrorists involved in recent attacks.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he said the state’s policy toward armed groups was clear: the government remained open to those militants who choose to surrender and seek forgiveness. However, he questioned whether reconciliation efforts with violent groups could be justified.
“Should we allow terrorists to reach Islamabad?” Bugti asked, referring to those involved in repeated attacks on civilians and security forces.
His remarks came a day after security forces killed 12 terrorists during an IBO in Kalat district.
Bugti said Baloch militants were previously freed and resettled in 2018 under a similar policy used for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“These militants are still fighting the state today and shedding innocent blood,” he said.
He also criticised what he described as an anti-state narrative aimed at Pakistan, its armed forces, and the Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Bugti said KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi should avoid joining such rhetoric and instead focus on relief measures for the people of his province.
“Being CM, his position does not allow him to be part of such a narrative,” he added.
Bugti endorsed the statement of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general, who had labelled PTI founder Imran Khan as a “national security threat”.
Sharing fresh security statistics, the Balochistan CM said the province had witnessed nearly 900 terrorist incidents in recent years, resulting in the deaths of 280 civilians, 205 security personnel, and six officers, including two from Balochistan.
Security forces have carried out thousands of IBOs, killing 706 terrorists who infiltrated from Afghanistan to plan attacks, Bugti said. Around 10 militant bodies remain near the border, he added.
He said terrorists would not succeed as long as Pakistan had a disciplined army and strong leadership.
“Those who plan attacks in the name of religion will fail,” he said, urging all political leaders to avoid narratives that target military leadership.
Bugti concluded that counterterrorism was the shared responsibility of every citizen and urged the nation to stand firmly with the country’s security forces.
