Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir told participants at a closed-door conference that a large-scale military operation would soon begin in Balochistan and involve evacuating civilian populations and bombing some areas with military jets, according to sources familiar with the proceedings.
Munir made the remarks during the final session of a three-day conference on Balochistan in Islamabad, where he addressed participants in a stern tone and openly criticised Baloch tribal chiefs, nationalist leaders and political figures, the sources said.
He accused some tribal and political leaders of supporting “terrorists” and described their conduct as treasonous and hostile to Pakistan.
Munir told the gathering that residents of Noshki and Mastung districts would be evacuated and the areas bombed by military jets as part of the planned operation, according to the sources.
He said civilian populations would also be removed from other areas wherever the military considered it necessary and that those it described as “terrorists” would then be eliminated through aerial bombardment.
“Balochistan is not anyone’s inheritance. It is Pakistan’s heart and economic lifeline,” Munir was quoted as saying. “We will not allow anyone to sever our lifeline with their own hands.”
The remarks come amid reports of curfews and ground and aerial military operations in several parts of Balochistan, including Noshki, Zehri and Jiwani, while local sources have also reported preparations for the possible evacuation of residents from Khad Kocha in Mastung.
EXCHANGE WITH NATIONAL PARTY LEADER
Munir strongly criticised National Party chief Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, a former chief minister of Balochistan, and called on him to present a solution to the conflict and support a military operation that the army chief said would begin soon.
Sources said Munir repeatedly called on Dr Malik to address the gathering, but the National Party leader remained seated and declined to speak.
Dr Malik said his party had already presented a 17-point proposal outlining its position and that a solution to the Balochistan conflict could be pursued through those recommendations, according to the sources.
Addressing Shahzain Bugti and Gwahram Bugti, Munir also accused the late Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti of taking to the mountains over gas royalties and money and misleading young people towards militancy.
He described Akbar Bugti’s descendants as “traitors” to Pakistan, the sources said.
WARNING TO BALOCH YOUTHS AND POLITICAL LEADERS
Munir told the gathering that young Baloch men and women were free to join the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) if they wished, but that none of them would be spared.
Sources said he became visibly angry during this part of his address, drew his hand across his neck and said all those who joined the group would be killed, but that “not an inch of Balochistan” would be surrendered.
The army chief also accused tribal chiefs and nationalist leaders of supporting “terrorists”, saying the military knew whom to arrest and when and where to act.
He told participants not to doubt the Pakistani military’s combat and intelligence capabilities, adding that it possessed records of the communications and activities of tribal chiefs and nationalist leaders and that “no one would escape”.
Munir said Balochistan would this time be permanently cleared of “terrorists” and their alleged “facilitators”, after which no further insurgency would emerge, according to the sources.