QUETTA: Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti informed the Balochistan Assembly on Friday that 250 intelligence-based operations had been conducted against terrorists in the province. He said elimination of terrorism was the biggest challenge for the provincial government.

The minister was speaking on an adjournment motion tabled by Leader of the Opposition Maulana Abdul Wasey regarding suicide attacks on security forces.

Mr Bugti praised the role of police and other law-enforcement agencies, saying that they had developed an intelligence-sharing mechanism on the basis of which they carried out operations against terrorists.

Members from both sides of the aisle took part in the debate on the motion. They suggested various measures for improving the law and order situation in the province.

Mr Bugti said Balochistan was the target of foreign agencies which were creating unrest in the province in a bid to sabotage development projects, particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The provincial government

was aware of nefarious designs of enemies and would foil all such moves, he added.

He said many leaders of militant organisations had been killed in operations conducted by police and other law-enforcement organisations.

In response to points raised by opposition members, the minister said the police force was being de-politicised and new recruitments were being made purely on merit. The government and members of the assembly had no role in transfers and postings in police, he added.

Mr Bugti said he would welcome suggestions from the members for improving the security situation in the province.

He said Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri had asked him to give an in-camera briefing to the members on the security situation.

Maulana Wasey said the opposition would fully support government efforts for the elimination of terrorism from the province. He condemned attacks on security forces.

The opposition leader accused Levies force of not performing its duty honestly at checkposts in Qila Saifullah and other areas, saying these checkposts could be attacked by Taliban. He called for a mechanism to check performance of security forces.

Deputy opposition leader Zamrak Khan Piralizai said that police and Levies force should be made more affective and stressed the need for providing them training and modern equipment. He said recruitments in police and other law-enforcement agencies should be made on merit.

Shahida Rauf of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl paid tribute to those security personnel who had lost their lives while fighting terrorists. She said unemployment and corruption were main causes of terrorism and stressed the need for generating employment opportunities in the province.

Ms Spozmai of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party said that the government was taking measures for improving security situation in the province. Injustices committed by military dictators were main causes of this bad security situation, she added.

Dr Hamid Achakzai, Mujeebur Rehman Mohammad Hasni, Rehmat Baloch, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran and Nasarulah Zeray also spoke.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2016