Asif says militancy in Balochistan patronised by India, Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Monday said that militancy in Balochistan did not stem from deprivation or underdevelopment, instead attributing it to a criminal-terror nexus supported by India and Afghanistan.
Taking part in a debate on Balochistan terrorist attack in the National Assembly, Khawaja Asif said that the terrorist leadership was hiding in Afghanistan, receiving full support there.
He accused a ‘criminal mafia’ involved in petrol smuggling of funding the unrest in the province. He revealed that these groups, which the government had cracked down on, were now resorting to terrorism to recover their losses, with the mafia earning Rs4 billion daily from smuggling oil from Iran.
Asif said the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other criminal groups supported the smuggling activities. He; however, denied any link between the unrest and the Baloch rights movement, and claimed the BLA received funds from India while targeting civilians, including poor workers, women, and children.
In defence of the government’s actions in Balochistan, he pointed to the over Rs1 trillion allocated under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). However, he lamented the misappropriation of these funds in the province.
The defence minister called for national unity in the fight against terrorism in Balochistan. He urged parliamentarians and the nation to set aside political differences and confront criminal gangs.
He also highlighted improvements in education and healthcare, noting that Balochistan now has 1,596 schools compared to just 114 in 1947. Healthcare has expanded to 13 teaching hospitals, 33 primary healthcare centres, and 756 basic health units.
Asif also addressed the issue of missing persons, claiming that many on the list are dead terrorists, with some living abroad and receiving allowances. He questioned how these individuals had access to sophisticated American weapons.
The minister condemned the violence against Punjabis in Balochistan, where passengers are targeted based on their identity cards. “No one will be allowed to rationalise violence,” he declared, stressing that the state would respond to terrorism with full force.
However, the opposition lawmakers slammed the government for its alleged intelligence failure and sluggish response to a deadly terrorist attack in Quetta.
Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai described Asif’s speech in the House as ‘flawed and wrong’, expressing disbelief that intelligence agencies had no prior knowledge of such a major attack in the provincial capital.
Achakzai questioned the alleged ‘two-hour delayed response’ of security forces after the terrorists stormed Quetta. He raised concerns about the effectiveness of the state’s security apparatus.
In his speech, Achakzai called for a political solution to the Balochistan issue, stressing that the only way forward was through parliament, not military intervention. He advocated for granting the Baloch people their rights and emphasised the need to strengthen parliament to ensure a sense of ownership for all citizens of the country.
The opposition leader claimed the banned BLA extorted money from banks in Quetta and collected taxes in government-controlled areas, alleging authorities failed to investigate. He contrasted the Balochistan’s abundant gas resources with the ongoing hardships in his own city, where many Baloch women still rely on firewood for cooking.
Achakzai criticized Pakistan’s involvement in the Afghan conflict in the 1980s, stating it contributed to the rise of ‘Kalashnikov culture’ that still fuels militancy today. He blamed the late Gen Abdur Rehman, the then DG ISI, for promoting this culture by calling militants “freedom fighters,” and claimed the country is still paying the price for this policy.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq defended the intelligence agencies, calling their sacrifices in the ongoing war against terrorism marvellous.
He made it clear that any criticism targeting the agencies would not be tolerated; announcing that certain parts of Achakzai’s speech would be expunged from the official record.
Sadiq also directed Defence Minister Asif to provide the opposition leader with details regarding the intelligence agencies’ covert operations and their contributions to the fight against terrorism, reiterating the government’s support for these efforts.
However, former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf called for unity and peace to ensure economic stability, stating that the issue of terrorism should be addressed in parliament. He stressed that all political parties must put national interests above ethnic differences. “We are Pakistanis first,” Ashraf declared, urging unity for the country’s sovereignty and security.
Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said the House should discuss the recent terrorist attack in Balochistan and pass a joint resolution. He urged the House to thoroughly address the growing issue of terrorism in the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026