Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan has said that the provincial government is strengthening urban security, enhancing technological capabilities and expanding youth outreach programmes as part of a comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism across Balochistan.
In an exclusive interview with Balochistan Pulse, the chief secretary said counter-terrorism operations are continuing across the province. He disclosed that 225 terrorists were killed in recent counter-terrorism operations, demonstrating the level of preparedness of state institutions.
He said terrorists had planned attacks at more than 60 locations in different parts of Balochistan. “Their plans did not succeed at any location, which shows how prepared we were,” he said, adding that several major attacks were successfully thwarted.
According to him, the failure of these plans is evidence that the state of readiness of security forces was stronger than that of the terrorists. He said Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and police jointly countered the threats and neutralised them effectively.
Urban Security at the Core of Strategy
Discussing future counter-terrorism planning, Shakeel Qadir Khan said the government is working on multiple security plans, one key aspect of which is making cities more secure.
“Quetta is at the top of the list, but other cities are also included in this plan,” he said, adding that urban centres will be strengthened through improved surveillance, response mechanisms and coordination among law enforcement agencies.
Technology Acquisition and Intelligence Integration
The chief secretary said the process of acquiring modern security and surveillance technology is underway. He said several technologies have already been acquired and that their effectiveness was evident during recent operations.
He added that the government plans to further strengthen counter-terrorism efforts by merging human intelligence with technological intelligence, enabling law enforcement agencies to generate forward-looking and actionable intelligence.
Missing Persons Narrative and Rehabilitation Policy
Responding to allegations regarding missing persons, Shakeel Qadir Khan said individuals are sometimes kept in custody for investigation purposes, rejecting claims that people are unlawfully disappeared.
He said rehabilitation centres are part of the government’s policy framework. “So far, four terrorists have been shifted to rehabilitation centres for reform,” he said, adding that individuals arrested in the future may also be referred to these centres.
The chief secretary Shakeel Qadir said the objective is not merely to arrest individuals and punish them. “If someone’s thinking has diverged from the state, the aim is to rehabilitate them, provide skills training and government support, and reintegrate them into society,” he said, referring to a similar model previously implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
However, he clearly differentiated between such individuals and hardcore terrorists involved in killing civilians, stating that the latter are dealt with strictly under the law.
BLA Social Media Propaganda
On a question regarding social media propaganda, the chief secretary said that during recent attacks, images circulated online claiming that BLA terrorists were taking selfies with local residents to project local support.
He said one such image was later investigated and it was revealed that the person shown was merely a bystander and had no connection with the terrorist group. According to him, this was a deliberate social media gimmick used by BLA militants to create a false impression of local support and was part of a broader propaganda tactic.
Safe City Project Phase II
Shakeel Qadir Khan said Phase II of the Safe City project has started, under which areas that were previously not covered, including Sariab Road and surrounding localities, will be brought under surveillance.
He said legislation related to the Safe City Authority has been sent to the provincial assembly. Once approved, the system will not only provide alerts but will also help convert information into actionable intelligence for police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
Youth Engagement and Enterprise Development
Highlighting youth engagement as a critical component of counter-terrorism, the chief secretary said the government has launched an Enterprise Development Programme.
Under the programme, 60,000 youth in six districts will be provided enterprise training free of cost, along with interest-free loans. He said the government will support participants for six months, providing expertise and assistance to help them establish businesses or alternative livelihoods.
He said the programme has initially been launched in districts where smuggling is more prevalent, with the aim of providing alternative sources of livelihood. “The initial results are very encouraging,” he said, adding that the programme will be expanded to more districts in the future.
The interview was conducted exclusively by Balochistan Pulse with the Chief Secretary of Balochistan.
