Balochistan Counter-Terrorism Department’s (CTD) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Aitzaz Goraya on Thursday said terrorists were using the platform of Balochistan Yakjehti Committee (BYC) to induct youth into their networks.

Goraya made the remarks while addressing a joint press conference alongside Balochistan Additional Chief Secretary Hamza Shafqaat in Quetta, where he gave details about a terrorist arrested during an operation in Panjgur.

According to Goraya, the CTD, police and law enforcement agencies arrested a man, Sajid Ahmad alias Shahwaiz, who was a resident of Turbat during the operation.

He said the man had received a Master’s degree in Sociology from the International Islamic University in Islamabad, then worked on contract at Zubaida Jalal Government College for three years, before teaching at the University of Turbat.

The CTD DIG said Sajid had “remained with BYC and was in constant communication with its leadership”.

“One thing that has surfaced prominently is the role of the BYC. Every man or child who is facilitating or [is involved in] what they call a sharing network or intelligence network […] they are somehow linked to the BYC,“ the CTD DIG said.

“Besides Sajid, we have also arrested three others against whom we are registering FIRs (first information reports),” Goraya added.

He said that one of them was 18-year-old Sarfaraz, who was a resident of Kharan and had been tasked with conducting a recce of the police and their polio duties.

“He was also first made to join the BYC, involved in their protests and roadblocks,” the CTD official said, adding that the person who inducted him into BYC was Jahanzaib alias Mehrbaan, aged 20 years.

Jahanzaib “not only remained involved in recce but also transportation, including one instance where he transported Rs0.6million of extortion money from Quetta and another when he transported Rs1m, as well as medicines”, DIG Goraya said.

He further said that Jahanzaib had been involved in BYC’s roadblocks in Noshki and Kharan. “He participated in the BYC’s so-called missing persons protests and properly organised who to bring and what to post on social media,” the DIG said.

According to Goraya, Jahanzaib also “inducted” 18-year-old Bezan into the BYC, following which he joined the so-called Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).

Bezan’s brother Shafqat Yar was killed in firing when the Levies force was attacked in Khad Kocha, DIG Goraya said. “He (Bezan) was first inducted into BYC, then he went into BLA.”

“All these are those people and children who were subverted, and their minds were used to take them to the other side and assigned these small tasks,” he said.

“Fitna al-Hindustan, they say we do not induct children, we do not use women or children, but again and again we have said — even today we are telling you with evidence — that they first use the platform of BYC and then they take them forward by using children,” the DIG stated.

The state has designated Balochistan-based terrorist groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

Goraya said there was a “proper network being run that depends on underage children, as they are not thoroughly checked when going to schools and colleges“.

“We must bring these things into their parents’ knowledge,” he stressed, adding that such youngsters would be taken to internment and rehabilitation centres that were being established in Quetta and Turbat, “so we can check how much their minds have been subverted”.

“We will hold dialogue with them, provide psychological treatment, and involve their parents and society’s notables. We will take them ahead as an improved, responsible citizen,” the CTD DIG said.

He said the terrorists subverted educated people, who had even remained on the government’s payroll, and through them, “many children and students — innocent minds who do not have a sense of what to do — they recruit them to BYC first to brainwash them and then properly induct them into the organisation”.

In a joint press conference held with provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind in April last year, DIG Goraya had questioned the legitimacy of BYC, later stating that it is not a registered organisation.

The same month, when a protest drive had paralysed the province, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti termed BYC activists as “abettors” of separatists.

Sajid involved with BLA, BLF

According to DIG Goraya, Sajid, who was apprehended from Panjgur, had been involved with the BLA and the banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF).

“Their sharing network includes recce of different locations in Turbat by marking them on Google Earth, which he shared with his commander Dostain in our neighbouring country.”

The CTD complex, roads going to and from the Turbat airport, and an under-construction high court were among the locations where Sajid allegedly carried out reconnaissance.

Goraya detailed that the items recovered from Sajid’s vehicle when he was apprehended included a rocket-propelled grenade, five rockets, two M-16 rifles with 23 magazines and 800 rounds, 20 hand grenades with 22 fuses, 30 C4 explosive slabs, one jacket, remote controls, 13 UBGL rounds, a compass, helmets and 30 feet of detonating cord.

Sajid was heading from Panjgur towards Turbat, the officer said.

“Not only did [Sajid] share things with them (BYC), but also remained involved in writing subversive literature for them and also posted it on different social media websites and carried out recruitment,” the DIG said.

“Other than that, on motivation, Balaj joined BYC, Jalal joined BYC, Hamal joined too, and Hamal also properly joined BLA and remained in contact with him (Sajid).

“He (Hamal) also went with him (Sajid) to meet Dostain in our neighbouring country using different routes.”

According to DIG Goraya, forensics of Sajid’s mobile phone revealed that a “lot of material of smuggling, also known as Zambad, also came with him, even to the extent of extremely sophisticated weapons, equipment, which were brought through those Zambad and given to their members”.

The CTD official said Sajid’s sister-in-law had also been a part of BYC and houses were acquired under her name to dump and transport materials from there.

‘100 persons abroad conspiring against Pakistan’

Meanwhile, the additional chief secretary said a “Red Notice Cell has been activated”, which included the prosecutor general and officials of the CTD and the home department.

“They have prepared lists. There are more than 100 people who are abroad and conspiring against Pakistan, promoting and sponsoring terrorist activities in Pakistan, lobbying and doing propaganda,” Shafqaat said.

He noted that a court order was needed to forward any person’s name to Interpol.

The official explained that to issue a “red notice” for someone, the Balochistan government would first file a charge sheet in the court, which would then declare the person as a proclaimed offender, after which the government would approach the interior ministry to take the process forward.

Shafqaat stated that the federal and provincial governments were arranging for more funds to strengthen the CTD.

He highlighted that one of the “biggest successful steps” taken in 2025 by the provincial government was the establishment of Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre (Piftac), which has been fully functional since December.

“We will now establish it on the district level. We are hopeful that by March, all our intelligence and actions will be coordinated.”

“Detention centres have been established. Two amendments have been made in the Anti-Terrorism Act, and we will be launching faceless courts in two months,” Shafqaat said.