• CM claims political issues and terrorism being ‘deliberately mixed’
• Balochistan Assembly passes resolution denouncing Jan 31 attacks

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Wednesday said the provincial government was ready for political dialogue to resolve the issues faced by the province, but it would not engage in talks with those who have taken up arms.

Speaking in the Balochistan Assembly, the CM said all constitutional rights were available through Pakistan’s parliament. “We stand with the state — if there is a state, there is politics,” CM Bugti said, praising the security forces for foiling a terrorist attack in Quetta’s Red Zone.

Expressing solidarity with the families of the martyrs, he said the government shared their grief, noting that the strict implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) was essential to bringing terrorism under control.

He noted that confusion prevailed across Pakistan, but in Balochistan, political issues and terrorism were being ‘deliberately’ mixed.

He linked this “confusion” to the use of “propaganda”, which he said was used to create distance between the state and the youth of Balochistan. “Our innocent people are being killed. Unemployment and economic problems exist throughout the country — but we have never refused political dialogue,” he added.

CM Bugti said problems cannot be resolved at gunpoint and urged lawmakers to uphold constitutional discourse within the assembly. He rejected attempts to justify smuggling or armed violence, claiming that the Constitution prioritised responsibility before rights.

According to the CM, the state has decisively resolved to eliminate terrorism, adding that while Balochistan faced deprivation, it did not justify violence. He said that only a few hundred individuals had joined militant groups out of a population of nearly 10 million. He said that no one would be allowed to take up arms and kill innocent people, including teachers, doctors, policemen and security personnel.

The CM reaffirmed support for state institutions and security forces, pledging that terrorism would be dealt with decisively to bring lasting peace to Balochistan.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan Assembly unanimously adopted a joint resolution condemning a wave of terrorist attacks that engulfed the province on Jan 31, 2026, claiming the lives of 36 civilians and 22 security personnel.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2026