BYC Represents BLA’s Voice, Not Balochistan’s — CM Mir Sarfraz Bugti

**Quetta (Qudrat Daily)** — Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has said that the Baloch Youth Council (BYC) is not the voice of Balochistan but of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). He urged political and media circles to stop viewing Balochistan solely through the lens of missing persons, emphasizing that the province’s issues must be understood in their historical and political context.

Speaking in a televised interview, Bugti said that Balochistan’s youth have been misled into a futile conflict driven by separatist narratives. “We must stop seeing Balochistan through the narrow frame of missing persons. The issue is complex, and dialogue with groups like Mehrang on this matter is open,” he stated.

He said that Nawab Akbar Bugti established the first anti-state *farari* (rebel) camp on June 21, 2002, marking the beginning of armed separatism. “The violence against Punjabis in Balochistan is not an ethnic issue — it is an attempt to destabilize Pakistan,” Bugti asserted.

The Chief Minister further stated that public gatherings and protests are everyone’s right, but the government retains the authority to determine venues and ensure security. He accused nationalist movements of misleading youth for decades, saying, “For 30 to 40 years, nationalist leaders promoted a separatist stance that has only harmed the people of Balochistan.”

Bugti clarified that BYC’s rallies often feature BLA’s so-called national anthem and separatist flags, which no sovereign country can tolerate. “Those who use violent or separatist symbols cannot be allowed complete freedom under the guise of protest,” he warned, stressing that law enforcement will act firmly against such violations.

He also rejected claims of government mistreatment of militants’ families, saying, “The government ensures proper postmortems and hands over bodies to heirs according to law, but BYC members attack hospitals and obstruct procedures.”

Bugti added that the issue of missing persons is not exclusive to Balochistan, as similar cases occur in other provinces as well. “Every life matters, and justice must prevail regardless of ethnicity or region,” he said.

The Chief Minister emphasized that the government’s doors remain open for dialogue with those willing to lay down arms under the Constitution. “Violence, threats, and lawlessness cannot be justified in the name of politics or nationalism,” he said.

He concluded that truth and justice are not determined by popular narratives but by principles of law and morality. “The protection of every citizen’s rights and the integrity of the state are our top priorities,” Bugti asserted.