QUETTA: The government of Balochistan claimed on Thursday having seized a huge cache of weapons and explosives in an area close to Afghan border in Qila Abdullah district.

Provincial Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, who made the announcement at a press conference here on Thursday, accused Indian and Afghan intelligence agencies of supplying weapons to terrorists for use in Balochistan.

“The intelligence agencies of some foreign countries, including those of India and Afghanistan, were providing weapons and explosives to banned militant organisations.”

The minister said the weapons and explosives were for use in acts of terrorism during Muharram in Quetta and other parts of the province. The seizure was made by the Frontier Corps in the border area of Gulistan two days ago.

Answering a question, the minister said he could not confirm the presence or otherwise of militants of the Islamic State group in Balochistan. “But we are investigating the appearance of slogans in support of the IS on walls in Turbat and some other towns in Makran division,” he said.

To another question, he said efforts were being made to trace the masterminds of the recent suicide attack on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Quetta.

The Deputy Inspector General of Frontier Corps, Balochistan, Brig Tahir Mehmood, said that on the basis of intelligence reports FC teams carried out raids in different areas, including Gulistan in Qila Abdullah, Yaro in Pishin and Kanak in Mastung and seized the weapons and explosives.

He said the seizure in Gulistan included 4,000kg of explosives, 31 SMGs with 18,984 rounds, two missiles with accessories, 101 small missiles, 104 missile caps, 18 suicide jackets, 110 rockets of 107-MM, 28 G3 rounds, 1,000 Meter Prima cards, 35 rounds of 303 rifles, 2,440 detonators, seven telescopes, four hand-grenades, 13 walkie-talkie sets, 97 rocket-launcher fuses, 26 fuses, 21 SMG magazines, one car battery, one tractor with trolley, nine flash tracers, seven mobile phones, one box of IED, 14 launcher bases and two bombs.

He said that in Yaro and Killi Kanak areas, FC teams found eight AK-47 rifles, one single-barrel rifle, two Chinese pistols, 36 magazines of AK-47 rifle, three hand-grenades, two elimination rounds, nine high explosives hand-grenades, eight HMG rounds, 46 SMG rounds, one MM rifle of 8-MM, eight bombs of 81-MM, 14 bombs of 82-MM and nine rounds of 12.7AA.

Brig Mehmood said the weapons and explosives had been brought from a neighbouring country to be used in acts of terrorism in Quetta and elsewhere in the province.

He said a suspected Afghan national named Mohammad Aslam had been arrested in the Gulistan area during the raid.

“Intelligence agencies of some foreign countries were providing financial assistance, weapons and explosives and combat training to militants for acts of terrorism in Balochistan,” he said.

Dozens of Frontier Corps personnel had sacrificed their lives this year, he said. “The FC will continue its campaign against enemies and terrorists and foil their conspiracies,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2014