Interior Minister Rehman Malik says, “We have intelligence reports that the situation in Balochistan will further aggravate in three to four months”. He fears that more attacks could be conducted on security forces and public places, while the incidents of kidnapping for ransom will also increase.

However, the government claims to have made a special security plan to meet any situation in the province and no one will be allowed to disrupt the election process. “I believe that the special security plan will be more than 80 per cent effective,” he says.

Malik explains that the elements involved in destabilising the province are from within the country, though “they have external support — both financial and moral to fulfil their agenda.

“We have intelligence reports that external forces have been operating in Balochistan from Afghanistan,” the minister asserts. “It is because of diplomatic influence that a separatist Baloch leader Brahamdagh Bugti was expelled from Afghanistan.”

Explaining further, he says back channel efforts were being used to address the grievances of separatist Baloch leaders and bring them into the mainstream.