Quetta: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Sunday confirmed that at least 145 terrorists were killed in nearly 40 hours across the province after militants of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched coordinated attacks in 12 towns.
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Addressing a press conference in Quetta, the chief minister said that 17 security personnel and 31 civilians were martyred during the wave of violence targeting Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni. He added that the bodies of 145 terrorists were now in official custody.
Bugti said the attacks were carried out by terrorists linked to India-sponsored “Fitna al-Hindustan”, revealing that five women and three children belonging to a Baloch family from Khuzdar were martyred in Gwadar.
Condemning hostile elements for attempting to destabilise Pakistan at India’s behest, Bugti questioned whether the BLA was a political party with which negotiations could be held. He said the group sought to impose its ideology through violence and reiterated that the government would not surrender.
“We will not surrender. They may try to destabilise us, but they cannot take a single inch of our country,” he said, warning that the land would be turned into hell for terrorists and stressing that perpetrators would not escape justice.
The chief minister clarified that only limited, intelligence-based operations were conducted, rejecting claims of large-scale force in Balochistan. He said authorities had received prior intelligence about the planned attacks and launched operations a day earlier, adding that Nushki had now been completely cleared.
Bugti said terrorists attempted to breach Quetta’s Red Zone but were thwarted by security forces. He praised the bravery of soldiers who stopped an attackers’ vehicle from reaching its target and announced a high state award for an injured officer.
He disclosed that Safe City cameras in Quetta were also targeted and announced plans to install CCTV systems in eight cities to enhance surveillance. Intelligence-led operations, he said, would continue relentlessly.
Highlighting the complexity of counterterrorism efforts, Bugti said militants often blend into civilian populations and use women and children as human shields. He added that authorities deliberately avoided heavy firepower to prevent civilian casualties.
The chief minister also revealed indications of Afghan involvement, saying weapons from the Afghanistan war were freely circulating and that key militant leaders, including Bashir Zeb, Rehman Gul and Allah Nazar, were currently in Afghanistan. He said Afghan soil was being used against Pakistan and vowed continued operations to neutralise terrorists.
Rejecting attempts to link terrorism solely with deprivation, Bugti stressed that terrorists have no identity or ethnicity. “They chant ‘Baloch, Baloch’, yet they kill Baloch women and children. A terrorist is only a terrorist,” he said.
Bugti criticised past reconciliation policies and reaffirmed commitment to the National Action Plan, calling it the most important counterterrorism framework after the Constitution. He reiterated that the provincial government would protect the families of martyrs, eradicate militancy and take Balochistan towards lasting peace.
