ISLAMABAD: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Thursday that terrorists were receiving “state patronage” in Afghanistan, from where they continue to launch attacks on Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Bugti claimed that militants had been provided with “safe havens” and training facilities across the border. He added that several of those recently killed in operations in Pakistan had Afghan origins.
“The Taliban government must honour the Doha agreement, in which they pledged not to allow Afghan soil to be used against any country,” Bugti said. His remarks echo repeated complaints from Islamabad that militant groups use Afghan territory to carry out violence inside Pakistan. Kabul has consistently denied such allegations.
Bugti also shared information about an intelligence-based operation in Chagai a day earlier, which resulted in the deaths of two men and the surrender of another. He said one of those killed was a lawyer linked to the May 8 attack on Pakistan Air Force personnel in Dalbandin.
According to Bugti, the man had been under surveillance for several months. When security forces surrounded his home and urged him to surrender, he opened fire. “A Federal Constabulary soldier was martyred in the exchange, which lasted two to three hours. Eventually, two terrorists were killed and their companion surrendered,” he said.
He further alleged that efforts were underway to unite militant outfits in Balochistan, claiming that the campaign was supported by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). “This is an intelligence-based war foisted on us, aimed at destabilising Pakistan,” he remarked.
The chief minister defended the suspension of 4G mobile services in parts of Balochistan, which has drawn criticism from the public. “This measure was not meant to inconvenience citizens. Terrorists are using communication tools beyond the capacity of our intelligence agencies. Disabling networks helps us track them down,” he explained.
Responding to questions about militancy in the province, Bugti urged a distinction between disaffected youth and those who had taken up arms. “If an area lacks resources, does that justify killing others? Violence cannot be explained away through deprivation or human rights issues,” he said.
He dismissed criticism from rights groups and activists, including Dr Mahrang Baloch of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, who has repeatedly raised concerns about enforced disappearances. Bugti argued there was “a huge difference between self-disappearance and enforced disappearance,” adding that many continued to “buy into a narrative without considering the facts.”
He rejected suggestions that the Balochistan government was a “puppet” administration and announced that the federal and provincial governments would soon launch a survey using satellite imagery to ensure Pakistan retained its poppy-free status.
Bugti was also asked about reports that a militant identified as Rehman Gul, allegedly the mastermind of the Jaffer Express attack, had been killed in Afghanistan. He said the information was not yet confirmed but called it a “major success” if verified.
