Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Quetta on Thursday with a tow of federal ministers following the deadly hijacking of the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express train in Balochistan’s Bolan district. The Pakistani premier reportedly chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Balochistan.
Addressing a press conference in Quetta after the meeting, the prime minister lamented the loss of lives and stressed that political differences should not stand in the way of ‘counterterrorism’ efforts. “We will keep doing our politics, but on this one point – saving the country from terrorism – we must be one,” he said.
The Pakistani Prime Minister, accompanied by federal ministers and senior officials, expressed deep sorrow over the attack and called for a comprehensive strategy to prevent such incidents in the future. He announced plans to convene a national consultation meeting to determine the next course of action, ensuring that security forces had the resources they needed to combat ‘terrrorism’ effectively.
The prime minister also underscored the importance of Balochistan’s development, stating that Pakistan’s overall prosperity was linked to stability in Balochistan. “Peace cannot be established in Pakistan until terrorism is completely eliminated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan,” he asserted.
Shehbaz also criticized the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for its policy of resettling Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters in the country, blaming it for the resurgence of ‘terrorist’ activities. He commended the Pakistani security forces for their ‘sacrifices’ but condemned a “certain segment” for what he described as “poisonous rhetoric” against the military. “No one can be given the license to spread propaganda against our soldiers who sacrifice their lives for the nation,” he warned.