Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued a call for national unity and close collaboration between civilian and military leadership to effectively combat the escalating threat of terrorism, in the aftermath of a deadly hostage crisis in a train in Balochistan’s Bolan region.
The crisis, which ended a day prior to the PM’s visit, tragically resulted in the deaths of almost two dozen people, while a large-scale rescue operation successfully freed 339 passengers. Thirty-three terrorists were killed during the operation.
Addressing a press conference following a high-level security moot at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Quetta, PM Shehbaz expressed deep concern over the lack of complete national unity in addressing the terrorism challenge.
He stated explicitly that, “One challenge, in my view, is that there should have been complete unity on this, but unfortunately, there is a gap.”
He emphasized the urgent need for consensus among all political stakeholders and a united front with the military leadership to formulate a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy. He vowed to provide the security forces with all the resources necessary to effectively combat this threat.
The Prime Minister directly attributed the recent surge in terrorist activity to the release of thousands of Taliban fighters from prisons in previous years. He strongly condemned the negative rhetoric and propaganda directed against the armed forces, labelling it as “poisoned propaganda” that is both unacceptable and intolerable.
“Peace can’t be established in Pakistan until terrorism is completely eliminated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan,” the PM added.
He highlighted the immense sacrifices made by army personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to protect the nation.
Looking towards the future, PM Shehbaz announced his intention to convene a meeting to discuss the next course of action. He stressed the importance of achieving parity in development between Balochistan and other provinces, asserting that the entire nation’s prosperity is inextricably linked to Balochistan’s progress.
He also announced plans to raise a new force in Balochistan, equipped with modern weapons and technology, to strengthen the province’s counter-terrorism capabilities. The Prime Minister declared unequivocally that any attempt to destabilize Pakistan through acts of terrorism will be met with the full and unwavering might of the state, characterizing the fight not just as a battle against specific militant groups but as a war against an ideology of lawlessness and despair.
Following the press conference, the Prime Minister, accompanied by Army Chief General Asim Munir, visited the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Quetta to meet with the injured victims and their families.
In a separate meeting with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, the Prime Minister further discussed the crisis and the need for a unified response. CM Bugti condemned the attacks and emphasized that associating such acts of terrorism with Baloch identity is inaccurate and harmful.
