{"id":84104,"date":"2024-08-27T21:39:23","date_gmt":"2024-08-27T21:39:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/president-orders-effective-measures-for-complete-elimination-of-terrorists-after-balochistan-attacks\/"},"modified":"2024-08-27T21:39:23","modified_gmt":"2024-08-27T21:39:23","slug":"president-orders-effective-measures-for-complete-elimination-of-terrorists-after-balochistan-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/president-orders-effective-measures-for-complete-elimination-of-terrorists-after-balochistan-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"President orders effective measures for \u2018complete elimination\u2019 of terrorists after Balochistan attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<p>President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday instructed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti to take effective measures and ensure the \u201ccomplete elimination\u201d of terrorism in response to the recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1855006\/balochistan-plunges-deeper-into-militancy-vortex\">spate of violence<\/a> across the country.<\/p>\n<p>In the latest flare-up of violence, dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) \u2014 a separatist outfit \u2014  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1854776\/gun-grenade-attacks-in-balochistan\">launched numerous attacks<\/a> on Sunday midnight across Balochistan, targeting security personnel as well as civilians, particularly those hailing from Punjab.<\/p>\n<p>At least 50 people, including 14 security men, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1854838\/balochistan-rocked-by-violence-as-multiple-attacks-claim-more-than-50-lives-21-terrorists-killed#:~:text=Not%20%E2%80%98upset%20Baloch%E2%80%99%20but%20terrorists%3A%20interior%20minister\">lost their lives<\/a> as militants went on a rampage across the province, storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>President Zardari met the interior minister and chief minister today to discuss the security and law and order situation in the province and was briefed on the recent terror incidents.<\/p>\n<p>A statement issued by the President House said proposals regarding the establishment of law and order in Balochistan were discussed, while Zardari stressed the need for effective measures for the \u201ccomplete elimination of terrorists\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll possible steps should be taken to improve the security situation in Balochistan,\u201d the president told the two officials.<\/p>\n<p>In Musakhail, militants <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1854830\/23-travellers-offloaded-shot-dead-in-balochistans-musakhail-after-identity-check-official\">killed 23 people<\/a> after checking their ID documents. In Khadkocha, they blocked a highway, stormed a police station, and held Levies officials hostage.<\/p>\n<p>In Kalat, attacks on a Levies station, two hotels, and a tribal elder\u2019s residence left 11 dead and nine injured. Meanwhile, six bodies were found in Bolan\u2019s Kolpur area, believed to have been shot by militants. In response, security forces neutralised 21 militants, as CM Bugti and the interior minister vowed to eliminate terrorism in the province.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:250px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1855006\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2><a id=\"naqvi-vows-support-for-cm-bugti\" href=\"#naqvi-vows-support-for-cm-bugti\" class=\"heading-permalink\" aria-hidden=\"true\" title=\"Permalink\"\/>Naqvi vows support for CM Bugti<\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, Naqvi earlier vowed to stand behind Bugti\u2019s government regarding its counterterrorism strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Addressing the media in Quetta flanked by CM Bugti, Naqvi said: \u201cMy aim to visit is to let you all and the people of Balochistan know that the federal interior minister is standing behind the Balochistan chief minister.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhatever decision he (Bugti) makes, we will support him,\u201d the interior minister affirmed.<\/p>\n<p>Naqvi and Bugti were speaking to the media after holding a <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link--external\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MOIofficialGoP\/status\/1828358140834005200\">meeting<\/a> earlier today at CM House on Balochistan\u2019s law and order.<\/p>\n<p>The meeting was attended by top officials of law enforcement agencies, including the provincial chief secretary and police chief, heads of Frontier Corps North and South, Levies director general and Counter-Terrorism Department DIG, the ministry <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link--external\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MOIofficialGoP\/status\/1828350024188670407\">said on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone \u2014 [including] the president, prime minister, and the army chief \u2014 is concerned for Balochistan and is working towards a solution,\u201d Naqvi told the media today.<\/p>\n<p>He highlighted that although there was a federal cabinet meeting earlier today \u2014 which was supposed to be attended by federal ministers, including him \u2014 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told him to visit Balochistan instead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile some actions may be apparent to you, some are under way at the backend, which the chief minister himself is leading,\u201d Naqvi said.<\/p>\n<p>The interior minister reiterated that the federal government would provide the Balochistan CM with whatever support he needed: \u201cThere is full support from the federation. The interior ministry is his own.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stating that the entire leadership was in deep grief over the recent attacks, Naqvi asserted, \u201cSuch incidents are absolutely intolerable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTogether, we will close the door to these incidents. Those thinking that they can relay their message or scare us through these incidents will soon receive a \u2018good message\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have to pursue those who are planning these [attacks], perpetrating this and forming this entire strategy,\u201d Naqvi affirmed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou will see in the coming days; God-willingly, they all (terrorists) will be dealt with,\u201d the interior minister vowed.<\/p>\n<p>Naqvi added that the provincial government remained vigilant.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbout the current approach, even your biggest enemy is saying that the Balochistan government has never before taken this approach,\u201d he quipped.<\/p>\n<p>He assailed the terrorists for \u201ccarrying out attacks while in hiding\u201d, stating that they should have had the courage to \u201ccome face to face\u201d with the security forces.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking about the government\u2019s future course of action, Naqvi said: \u201cThere is no need for any operation; they only need an SHO\u2019s (station house officer\u2019s) response and they will [remain at that level].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The minister later clarified he was only citing an SHO as an example and that the operation would entail efforts on a larger scale.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are terrorists and our civil armed forces, armed forces, and the police know how to combat them,\u201d Naqvi asserted.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"hunt-for-terrorists-under-way-cm-bugti\" href=\"#hunt-for-terrorists-under-way-cm-bugti\" class=\"heading-permalink\" aria-hidden=\"true\" title=\"Permalink\"\/>Hunt for terrorists under way: CM Bugti<\/h2>\n<p><figure class=\"media  sm:w-full  w-full  media--stretch  \"><figcaption class=\"media__caption  \">Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti attend a meeting in Quetta on Aug 27, 2024. \u2014 Radio Pakistan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>Speaking alongside Naqvi, CM Bugti said the hunt for terrorists was under way and a \u201cresponse mechanism\u201d was in place.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow can you say that there was no response [to the attacks]?\u201d the chief minister said, as he cited the example of a captain who was martyred while responding to terror-related incidents in the province.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe sacrificed his life for the people of Balochistan,\u201d Bugti highlighted, adding that the government stood with the \u201c53 [bereaved] families\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The chief minister spoke in detail about the security challenges posed by Balochistan\u2019s terrain and the strategies deployed by the terrorists.<\/p>\n<p>Pointing out that there were 4,000 kilometres of roads across the province, CM Bugti said the terrorists \u201cfind an inch [of area] among those and operate [\u2026] after entering our society\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow will we know whether a person is coming for reconnaissance or is a traveller? Then you have issues when we stop them,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey carry out reconnaissance and find our weakest spot. They come for half an hour, find the softest target, offload passengers from a bus and shoot them dead,\u201d the chief minister explained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhether it is our federal government or provincial government or our armed forces, we will go against them at any cost and every cost,\u201d Bugti vowed.<\/p>\n<p>Recalling his meeting with Naqvi, the chief minister said both leaders had a \u201cvery detailed discussion on the law and order situation and the future plan\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"attack-carried-out-in-well-thought-out-manner\" href=\"#attack-carried-out-in-well-thought-out-manner\" class=\"heading-permalink\" aria-hidden=\"true\" title=\"Permalink\"\/>Attack carried out in \u2018well-thought-out manner\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>A day prior, Naqvi, while addressing a press conference in Lahore, had vowed that \u201cterrorists would be responded to like terrorists [ought to be]\u201d instead of being referred to as \u201c<em>naraaz<\/em> (discontent) Baloch\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have a good idea of who has planned this and who is behind it. They have carried out all these attacks in a single day in a clear and well-thought-out manner,\u201d Naqvi asserted.<\/p>\n<p>He had stated that the entire leadership had \u201cdecided to fully respond to the attacks\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe terrorists will be dealt with,\u201d Naqvi said, adding that CM Bugti was \u201cabsolutely right in saying that these people who have carried out the attacks are not upset Baloch but terrorists\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The interior minister further said that the government was \u201cforming an action plan\u201d to hold talks with the political leadership of Balochistan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor politicians with whom talks have to be held, the leadership is forming an action plan,\u201d Naqvi said.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"pm-says-no-room-for-weakness-urging-resolute-decision\" href=\"#pm-says-no-room-for-weakness-urging-resolute-decision\" class=\"heading-permalink\" aria-hidden=\"true\" title=\"Permalink\"\/>PM says \u2018no room for weakness\u2019, urging resolute decision<\/h2>\n<p>Separately, PM Shehbaz on Tuesday asserted that there was \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1855061\/interior-minister-mohsin-naqvi-visits-balochistan-day-after-violence-vows-to-stand-behind-cm\">no room for any weakness<\/a>\u201d and urged the need to \u201cmove forward with a resolute decision\u201d to tackle terrorism.<\/p>\n<p>Addressing a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad, the premier stressed the need to identify the country\u2019s enemies and urged \u201cfull unity\u201d among the nation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have to move forward with a resolute decision. There is no room for any kind of weakness,\u201d the premier asserted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo degree of condemnation is enough for the recent incidents that took place in Balochistan yesterday,\u201d the prime minister told the federal cabinet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRather than discussing that people from a certain area of Pakistan were offloaded from buses and martyred, I think that it would be more appropriate and effective for the country\u2019s well-being if I say that terrorists martyred Pakistanis,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"senators-question-role-of-intelligence-agencies\" href=\"#senators-question-role-of-intelligence-agencies\" class=\"heading-permalink\" aria-hidden=\"true\" title=\"Permalink\"\/>Senators question role of intelligence agencies<\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, the Senate session on Tuesday saw heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches on the past day\u2019s events.<\/p>\n<p>JUI Senator Kamran Murtaza assailed the government for \u201cnot even performing the role of an SHO\u201d, saying that the government\u2019s writ was nowhere to be seen in Balochistan for four to five hours on the night between Sunday and Monday.<\/p>\n<p>He questioned how would investment flow in with such incidents and further asked what were intelligence agencies doing amid the situation. He said the provinces paid intelligence agencies and criticised their slow response.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a great injustice and this should not happen again. Is the provincial government lower than even a SHO? Are the interior ministry and its agencies to who we pay a considerable sum every month, are they even lower than a SHO? Could they not have handled the situation?\u201d he said, asking whether were they not aware of the date, its events and whether the recent events represented an \u201cintelligence failure\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Murtaza called for redressal of the concerns of the province\u2019s people, warning that more such events of even greater intensity could otherwise occur.<\/p>\n<p>Senate opposition leader Shibli Faraz lamented that the issues of Balochistan had been continuing since his own youth and the province was being deprived of the rightful share of its resources.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe believe that political problems should be resolved in a political manner and the use of power is the last resort especially when it\u2019s your own people. They should be engaged no matter their grievances and complaints.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Faraz said the nation wanted to know how the highly \u201cwell-coordinated attack\u201d occurred at multiple points in the province. He called for a debate in the Senate on how to control the law and order situation in the country since it was directly related to economic challenges.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said negotiations could and should take place with those who accepted the state of Pakistan but \u201cthis House will unanimously condemn those who kill innocents under the guise of grievances.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday instructed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti to take effective measures and ensure the \u201ccomplete elimination\u201d of terrorism in response to the recent spate of violence across the country. In the latest flare-up of violence, dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":84105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.dawn.com\/large\/2024\/08\/272024462a49d94.jpg?r=202545","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84104\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}