Sarfraz Bugti has said that terrorists involved in recent attacks in Balochistan were using 11-year-old children as part of their operations, calling it evidence of the “inhuman tactics” being employed against the state.
Addressing a press conference, the chief minister paid tribute to fallen security personnel and civilians, saying intelligence reports had warned of large-scale terrorist plots across the province. Acting on those alerts, security forces launched pre-emptive operations, which he said prevented “a major tragedy.”
145 Militants Killed in 40 Hours
Bugti said security operations in Panjgur and other areas killed at least 40 militants, while the total number of militants killed across Balochistan in the past 40 hours reached 145. Over the past year, he claimed, more than 1,500 militants have been eliminated in counterterrorism operations.
He stressed that operations were conducted with “extreme responsibility and restraint,” adding that the state had never engaged in indiscriminate use of force in Balochistan.
Gwadar Family Targeted
The chief minister said militants targeted a Baloch family in Gwadar, killing five women and three children. He accused terrorist groups of turning Baloch civilians into “fuel for their war” and deliberately attacking non-combatants.
Bugti reiterated that the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is not a political force but an armed group attempting to impose its ideology through violence under the pretext of deprivation.
“State Acts Within Law”
Bugti said the state cannot harm its own citizens and that all operations are conducted within constitutional and legal limits. He said militants often hide among civilian populations, making operations more complex, but insisted security forces act with caution.
He revealed that militants had attempted to enter a Red Zone area, but security forces foiled the plan in time. An operation in Nushki took longer than expected but concluded successfully, he added.
Foreign Involvement
Bugti said that militant violence in Balochistan is being backed by foreign elements, claiming India seeks to destabilize Pakistan whenever it makes economic or strategic progress. He also claimed that a militant commander named Rahman Gul is currently in Afghanistan and that Afghan territory is being used for attacks inside Pakistan.
He added that foreign nationals were involved in recent incidents and said terrorism has “ no ethnicity.”
Security Challenges Since 2018
The chief minister said militants have also targeted Safe City surveillance cameras and claimed that after 2018, militants found space to reorganize as several security check posts were removed across parts of the province.
“We Will Not Bow”
Bugti vowed that the government would restore lasting peace in Balochistan “even if it takes a thousand years,” stressing that the state will not bow to terrorist pressure. He warned that protests used as a cover to block roads or disrupt public life would not be allowed.
