QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has said that anti-state elements and foreign agencies are fuelling propaganda to divide Pakistan, as the government strengthens governance, education, and counterterrorism efforts.
Balochistan CM Mir Sarfaraz Bugti has said there is no insurgency in the province, only “so-called separatist movements” driven by anti-national elements and foreign interference.
Addressing participants of the 17th National Workshop, the CM reiterated that the province’s development, security, and governance are steadily improving under his government.
Sarfaraz Bugti said the claim of an insurgency in Balochistan is misleading and that anti-state groups aim to harm and divide Pakistan. He warned that “the enemies want to divide Pakistan into pieces like a cake.”
He further stated that a false impression of unbalanced development in the province was deliberately created to mislead the public. “The term ‘angry Baloch’ was coined only to justify terrorism,” he remarked, stressing that “a person who commits violence at gunpoint is not angry but a terrorist.”
Highlighting external involvement, Bugti accused India’s intelligence agency RAW of having a clear role in destabilizing Balochistan. “Separatists are happy with India but want to harm Pakistan,” he said, adding that such elements are being manipulated through propaganda on social media to widen the gap between the youth and the state.
“The first refugee camp in Balochistan was established on June 21, 2002, which promoted terrorism,” the CM remarked, adding the war against terrorism is not just for the army to fight, but it is a joint war of the entire nation.
Bugti emphasized that the government is actively reaching out to universities and various forums to listen to the concerns of young people. “The distance between the youth and the state has been increased through propaganda, but we are addressing it through dialogue and inclusion,” he said.
He underlined that the state of Pakistan is more important than politics, asserting that the war against terrorism is a joint effort of the entire nation, not just the armed forces. “The Balochistan government has taken the war against terrorism as its responsibility,” he added.
The CM revealed that the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) is being strengthened to deal more effectively with security threats, with Rs100 million allocated to enhance its capacity.
He noted that security forces are conducting operations in areas where distinguishing between friend and foe is difficult. “It’s easy to act against a clear enemy, but more challenging when the enemy hides within our ranks,” Bugti remarked.