Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar’s comments on Baloch protesters, who have been staging a sit-in in the federal capital for more than a week for the recovery of their loved ones and against alleged extrajudicial killings in the province, have been widely condemned as being “irresponsible”.

A day earlier, Kakar spent more than 15 minutes of a 20-minute press conference on the issues plaguing Balochistan at Lahore’s Central Business District. Speaking about those who are supporting the Baloch protest, Kakar had said they could go join the Baloch militants.

“Advocates of terrorists in Balochistan should go and join them if they are convinced on the veracity of their issue and fight the state along with them, so that we know where they stand and how to deal with them,” he said, alluding to rights activists and journalists standing with the Baloch marchers.

Responding to the media on the issue of police violence against Baloch protesters in Islamabad, the caretaker premier said that some of the people — media persons included — were trying to “mislead everyone, turning themselves into fake heroes of human rights and damaging the state”.

The caretaker PM also insisted that those protesting in Islamabad were the “relatives of those fighting against the state” in Balochistan. He, however, added that the state had beef with militant outfits, not the Baloch people.

“We still respect their right to protest because their dear and near ones disappeared. But they should also know that they [militants] were fighting against the state, with the help of RAW funding and aided by India. It is an armed rebellion, with foreign help,” he said.

Kakar said those trying to create human rights issues out of the use of water cannons against protestors should also explain who is killing common people in Balochistan.

“Who is engaged in armed mutiny against the state of Pakistan? I am sure if these so-called advocates go to Balochistan, they would be killed as well. But please, go and join the BLF or BLA so that the state knows where you stand. The state is clear on how to deal with this menace. Please clarify your position,” he demanded.

Lawyer and rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir said Kakar’s “irresponsible and provocative statements” had no intent other than to “push peaceful people to take up arms against any form of injustice”.

“PM clearly stated that there is no peaceful option, not just for the Baloch people but for anyone speaking against state brutality. Will the PM be responsible for the rise in recruitment of separatist groups?” she asked.

Dr Mahrang Baloch, one of the organisers of Baloch protests, said that the premier had “declared victims of enforced disappearances as terrorists, insulting victim families and addressing peaceful political activists in a threatening tone”.

“However, we assert to this state and government that we will persist in informing the world about your oppression and barbarism,” she said, adding that the aim of their movement had always been clear — to end human rights violations in Balochistan and “cessation of the Baloch genocide”.

Sammi Deen Baloch, whose father Dr Deen Muhammad has been missing since 2009, wondered what exactly the premier was trying to say and sought an explanation of his remarks.

“All the victims of forced disappearances have either been related to political organisations or student organisations, or they are ordinary poor people who were mistaken for being Baloch and were picked up,” she said.

Journalist Veengas said the interim premier had “rubbed salt into the wounds of Baloch missing persons’ families, and threatening journalists”.

Journalist Kiyya Baloch said that the premier “deliberately makes provocative statements, knowing uglier the conflict gets, better for him”.

“Our assertion that this conflict benefits certain people is validated by his statements. They consistently prove us right. No conflict means no opportunities for Kakar,” he said.

Journalist Zebunnisa Burki said Kakar’s statements were in “poor taste”, adding: “What a shame.”

“Baloch protesters being gaslighted by the caretaker prime minister. Has already brought up RAW funding. Now mocking people criticising him for being from Balochistan and doing this with the Baloch,” she noted.

The comments also came under discussion during today’s Senate session, with PML-N Senator Sadia Abbasi terming them “disappointing”.

“It is deeply disappointing to see how Kakar addressed his own people and trivialised their statements by calling them meaningless,” she said, adding that the incumbent chief justice and the Senate chairman were also from Balochistan.

“If the people who are now missing were truly enemies of the state, then why weren’t they presented in court? Why was there no case brought against them?” she questioned.

She hoped other senators would follow suit and condemn Kakar’s remarks.

Former senator Farhatullah Babar said the premier’s comments were “most insensitive, provocative and amount to deviously skirting the real issues of people of Balochistan”.

In a statement issued today, he said the prime minister should have “sought to put balm on the wounds of the people” since Kakar himself hailed from Balochistan but instead, “he chose, as people intoxicated with reflected power and glory often do, to rub salt into the wounds of the people of the province. This is most unfortunate and condemnable.”

Regarding PM Kakar’s choice of words for supporters of victims of enforced disappearances, Babar said: “Even those who are accused of involvement in enforced disappearances have not employed such lowly and provocative language.”

He said no one was advocating for terrorists but by equating protests against disappearances with promoting terrorism, PM Kakar showed he was “either ignorant or deliberately deflects the issue”.

“The demand is only that those enforcedly disappeared should be produced before courts and dealt with in accordance with the law and the Constitution and no more. What is wrong with it?

“The enforced disappearances in Balochistan and in other parts of the country are a fact and a black spot on the state. Strong voices will continue to be raised against it, no matter what threats the caretaker PM hurls at those who raise such a voice,” the former senator vowed.

Babar said the interim prime minister owed an apology to the people, particularly to the people of Balochistan, adding that Kakar would be “well advised to withdraw” his comments.

“His thoughtless remarks will haunt him and the people of Balochistan even long after he is no longer the caretaker PM and has been consigned to the dustbin of history.”