President Zardari pledges to eliminate Terrorism, ensure peace in Balochistan

Amid escalating security tensions in Balochistan, President Asif Ali Zardari visited Quetta on Wednesday and emphasized the urgent need to decisively win the “war against terrorism” at all costs.

As terrorism rises in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, President Asif Ali Zardari chaired a meeting on Balochistan’s law and order situation, highlighting the threat from terrorists attempting to divide the nation.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Acting Governor of Balochistan Captain (retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari, and other senior officials attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti provided a briefing on the province’s law and order situation.

“The situation is clear — the state will continue to exist, and we must win the war against terrorism,” the president stated.

President Zardari reaffirmed the government’s commitment to Balochistan’s development and lasting peace, announcing that the anti-terrorism wing would be equipped with the latest weapons.

President Zardari emphasized the government’s goal of enrolling every child in Balochistan in school, stressing the importance of familiarizing them with modern technology.

Last week, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants sabotaged train tracks and hijacked the Jaffar Express, taking over 440 passenger’s hostage during a day-long standoff with security forces in Bolan’s remote mountains.

After rescuing the hostages and securing the train, the military reported killing 33 attackers. Before the operation started, terrorists had killed 26 passengers, while four security personnel lost their lives during the mission.

The attack claimed the lives of 18 security personnel from the army and FC, three officials from Pakistan Railways and other departments, and five civilians.

On Sunday, a vehicle-borne suicide attack killed at least five paramilitary personnel. The BLA, one of several separatist groups active in Balochistan near the Afghanistan and Iran borders, claimed responsibility for the assaults.

A Battle to Secure Future Generations

A day earlier, General Asim Munir, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), stressed the importance of improved governance and the transformation of Pakistan into a “hard state.” He questioned how long the nation would keep making countless sacrifices in the name of a “soft state.”

While addressing an in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, the army chief stated that the ongoing struggle represented a war for the survival of present and future generations.

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq chaired the committee meeting, which brought together Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, members of the parliamentary committee, political leaders, the Army Chief, director generals of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), key federal ministers, and senior military and intelligence officials.

Notably, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Akhtar Mengal, and the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chose not to attend the meeting, which the prime minister convened following the terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express.

General Asim Munir emphasized that all elements of national strength must work in complete harmony to ensure the country’s stability, asserting that national security took precedence over any agenda, movement, or personality.

“There is no agenda, movement, or personality bigger and more important than national security. All elements of national strength must act with complete harmony for the country’s lasting stability,” the COAS said.