The Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti Balochistan has publicly endorsed the Pakistani government’s latest ‘counterterrorism’ military operation, codenamed ‘Azm-e-Istekham’, saying that this operation is crucial to ensure peace and stability in Balochistan and restore the state’s writ.
Speaking to the media in Quetta on Monday, Bugti emphasized that there are prevailing law and order challenges in Balochistan. He said that the surge in violence has left Balochistan grappling with unrest, and the implementation of the new counterterrorism initiative is the only way to ensure long-lasting peace.
The military’s operation Azm-e-Istekham, which translates to ‘Resolve for Stability’ in Urdu, aims to curb the escalating violence across Pakistan. The operation was announced following a review of Pakistan’s ‘counterterrorism’ efforts in a meeting led by Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. The review specifically revisited the National Action Plan, adopted in the aftermath of the 2014 APS Peshawar attack carried out by the Pakistani Taliban.
The new military strategy is expected to address domestic security threats and the infiltration of armed fighters from neighboring Afghanistan. A statement from Sharif’s office on June 22 outlined plans to “intensify” efforts through regional cooperation with Pakistan’s neighbors.
The Balochistan chief minister invited the Baloch guerrilla fighters residing in the mountains for negotiations. These individuals have been engaged in an armed struggle for the past seven decades for Balochistan’s independence from the Pakistani state. Bugti asked the Baloch guerilla fighters to return, promising that he would welcome them with open arms.
Bugti said that anyone challenging the writ of the Pakistani state would face severe consequences. He said he is currently exploring the formation of a new committee to engage in negotiations with the Baloch freedom fighters. Bugti said he’s confused about who he should engage with, given the presence of multiple independent organizations in different parts of Balochistan, each led by distinct leaders.
Bugti said that individuals who identify their victims through ID cards and subsequently take their lives cannot be negotiated with. He was referring to the Nushki incident where Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) fighters killed nine alleged Pakistani intelligence agents after identifying them through their ID cards. Bugti said military operations and other stringent measures are necessary to restore the state’s authority in Balochistan.
Bugti assured journalists that his government is actively working to recover picnickers abducted by the BLA near Quetta. The BLA said it suspects these ten individuals to be intelligence agents and is currently investigating their status.
Bugti’s unwavering endorsement of military measures does not come as a shock to many. He is known to make such extreme pronouncements, advocating for ‘peace’ via the most brutal means. Back in 2017, during his tenure as Home Office Minister, Bugti boldly asserted that ‘genocide’ was the sole path to restoring peace in Balochistan and addressing the security challenges. In conversations with tribal elders in his hometown, he reportedly advocated for the complete eradication of Baloch dissidents through a large-scale genocide — a stance he believed would ultimately bring stability to the troubled region.
Related: Genocide Is the Only Option in Balochistan – Pakistani Minister Declares
While Bugti has expressed his enthusiastic support for Azm-e-Istehkam, the operation faces criticism from politicians across Pakistan. Parties such as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, and the Awami National Party have voiced their disapproval both inside and outside the parliament. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur even denied that the operation was discussed with him during the committee’s recent apex meeting.
In response to the intense criticism, the Pakistani Prime Minister came out and said that Azm-e-Istehkam is not a ‘large-scale military operation’ leading to mass displacement. Instead, he described it in vague terms as a ‘multi-domain, multi-agency, whole-of-system national vision’ aimed at ensuring enduring stability in Pakistan.