The Balochistan government said on Tuesday that security operations against attackers were continuing, while also threatening possible legal action against relatives of those involved in armed activities, remarks that have drawn attention amid an already tense security environment in the region.
Government spokesperson Shahid Rind, accompanied by Balochistan Interior Minister Ali Muhammad Jatak and Quetta Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat, addressed a press conference in Quetta, where he briefed the media on the attacks reported in more than a dozen districts across Balochistan in the early hours of January 31.
Rind claimed that all attackers involved in the incidents had been killed and said operations were still under way, particularly in Quetta and Noshki. He linked the ongoing security measures to the continued suspension of internet services in those areas, stating that operational requirements necessitated the restrictions.
According to the spokesperson, the process of identifying the deceased attackers was continuing. He said that once identification was completed, the government would take action against the attackers’ relatives, adding that such measures were permitted under the law. He did not specify the nature or scope of the legal provisions being cited.
Rind further said that Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti would soon hold a detailed press conference to elaborate on the government’s position and the steps being taken in response to the recent violence.
The remarks echoed earlier statements by the Sarfaraz Bugti-led government, which warned families of individuals associated with armed groups that they could face consequences if they failed to inform authorities about the involvement of their relatives in armed activities. Government representatives have previously said that possible actions could include arrests, termination of government employment and other administrative measures against family members.
Human rights groups and local activists have repeatedly raised concerns over such policies, noting that this is not the first time relatives of individuals linked to Baloch armed groups have faced punitive measures. In previous years, there have been multiple reports of family members and parents of alleged attackers being detained or forcibly disappeared, particularly in cases involving suicide attacks.
There have also been reported cases involving relatives of commanders and members of the Baloch “pro-independence” group Baloch Liberation Army. Among them is the case of the brother of BLA leader Bashir Zeb, who was reported missing last year after being taken from Quetta, where he was employed at the time. Authorities have not publicly commented on that case.