No Insurgency in Balochistan, Some Elements Promoting Separatist Ideology: CM Sarfraz Bugti

QUETTA:Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has said that there is no insurgency in Balochistan, but certain elements are promoting separatist thinking on the basis of identity and seeking to divide Pakistan.

Addressing participants of the 21st National Workshop Balochistan in Quetta, the chief minister said such elements wanted to divide Pakistan “like a cake,” but no conspiracy to break up the country would succeed.

Senator Danesh Kumar, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information and Political Affairs Shahid Rind, and Principal Secretary Imran Zarkoon were also present on the occasion.

Bugti said Baloch youth were being pushed towards a futile conflict that would neither benefit them nor contribute to the future of Balochistan.

He said it was incorrect to attribute unrest in Balochistan primarily to uneven development and backwardness, noting that disparities in development existed in Pakistan as well as in many other countries. However, he added, people did not take up arms or shed innocent blood simply because of development disparities.

The chief minister urged young people to distinguish between facts and perceptions and to learn about the authentic history of their province.

He alleged that anti-Pakistan elements based abroad were attempting to mislead young people through organized propaganda. He called on the youth to focus on education, development and a better future and avoid becoming part of what he described as anti-state propaganda.

Bugti said the government was listening to young people at every level to reduce the gap between the state and the youth. He stressed that meritocracy was essential for ensuring that young people received their due rights.

He said an artificial intelligence-based testing system had been introduced in Balochistan to ensure merit and transparency in the recruitment process. “No deserving candidate will be deprived of their right, and jobs will be awarded purely on merit,” he said.

The chief minister also said that the province had achieved 100 percent progress in its Public Sector Development Programme over the past two years.

He said the Anti-Corruption Department had been activated and the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team was fully operational. According to Bugti, the inspection team began monitoring development projects from his own constituency to send a clear message that accountability would be applied without discrimination.

He said action against corrupt elements was continuing and arrests had also been made. Institutions were being strengthened to monitor development projects and ensure transparency and merit, he added.

Bugti said the foundations of good governance had been laid in Balochistan and would be maintained. He said the government aimed to establish a system based on merit, transparency, accountability and greater opportunities for young people.

Later, the chief minister answered questions from participants from Balochistan and other parts of the country. He also distributed laptops among high-performing female students as an encouragement for their academic achievements.

The question-and-answer session lasted for more than two and a half hours, during which Bugti discussed the historical background of Balochistan, the province’s current situation, government initiatives, governance and other related issues.