Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has described the region as being in a “state of war”, saying the government will not back down from its responsibility to maintain the writ of the state.
Speaking at a ceremony at the Central Police Office in Quetta on Friday to inaugurate new and upgraded digital initiatives of the Balochistan Police, Mr Bugti said maintaining the state’s writ was the government’s fundamental responsibility.
Responding to questions about the security situation, he described the conflict in Balochistan as an intelligence-based war and said the region faced security challenges because of its geographical conditions and certain internal weaknesses.
He attributed the increase in attacks, among other factors, to the availability of advanced military equipment from Afghanistan and efforts to push young people towards armed conflict.
Mr Bugti said state institutions had also increased their operations and claimed that around 1,000 people had been killed during the past year.
Comparing the situation to guerrilla warfare, he said armed groups only needed to succeed in carrying out an attack at one location, while the state was responsible for securing the entire region and thousands of kilometres of roads.
“The state will not tire of this war,” he said, adding that the government was determined to continue operations against those involved in attacks.
Asked about the alleged use of vineyards and other private properties in Mastung for attacks on security forces and the interior minister, Mr Bugti said the government did not want measures that would harm civilians, but warned that the state’s patience had limits.
He said that if a security forces’ convoy or the interior minister was attacked from private property, its owner could not claim to have been unaware of the presence of militants on the premises.
The chief minister said owners of private properties used for attacks would be considered facilitators.
He said owners of vineyards and other private properties had repeatedly been warned against allowing their land to be used for attacks. If such properties continued to be used, he said, the government would have two options: relocate residents from affected areas and provide alternative settlements, or take action against properties being used for attacks.
The chief minister’s remarks come amid surge increase in security incidents and counter-insurgency operations across Balochistan.