• Terms ‘angry Baloch’ narrative a bid to justify terrorism; accuses India’s RAW of orchestrating instability in the province
• Says govt engaging youth to counter propaganda and address grievances; notes Rs100m allocated to strengthen Counter Terrorism Department

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Mi­­nister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has said that the province is not confronting a popular insurgency but rather so-called separatist movements being exploited by external forces with malign intent.

Speaking to the participants of the 17th Natio­nal Workshop Balochistan on Tuesday, he warned that anti-state elements aim to harm and divide Pakistan, but their designs to carve up the country “like a cake” will not succeed.

Mr Bugti said the narrative of “imbalanced development” being circulated about Balochistan is misleading and contrary to ground realities. He criticised the use of the term “angry Baloch”, calling it an attempt to legitimise acts of terrorism, and stressed that anyone who resorts to violence at gunpoint is not merely “angry” but a terrorist who cannot claim to represent the Baloch people.

The chief minister recalled that the first fugitive camp in the province, established on June 21, 2002, had helped foster terrorism and mislead the youth. He warned that social media propaganda has widened the gulf between young people and the state, but said the provincial government is countering this by engaging youth across universities and other forums to listen to their grievances and concerns.

He also accused India’s intelligence agency, RAW, of playing a clear and organised role in Balo­ch­istan’s instability, saying separat­ist elements were pursuing an ag­­enda that served India’s interests while seeking to harm Pakistan. He emphasised that the fight agai­nst terrorism is not solely the res­ponsibility of the armed forces or security agencies but a collective struggle for the entire nation.

“Politics is secondary to the state of Pakistan,” the chief minister said, reiterating that the Balochistan government has taken ownership of the fight against terrorism and maintains a firm and unequivocal stance. He urged the public to reject violence, warning that pushing the Baloch people into a dead end through armed struggle would yield no benefit.

Mr Bugti said the provincial administration is taking concrete steps to improve services. He said progress has been made in health and education, with 3,200 previously inactive schools and 164 basic health units reactivated.

He said the Counter Terrorism Depart­ment’s capacity is being enhanced, with an allocation of Rs100 million approved for this purpose. He added that security forces are conducting operations in challenging areas where the line between friend and foe is often blurred.

He claimed that the provincial government has restored the writ of the state by appointing officers to 24 sub-divisions that had been without assistant commissioners for the past 12 years.

He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to defeat those who threaten peace, stability and development in Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2025