PM, political leadership agree to rid Balochistan of violence, denounce India for anti-CPEC stance
With the premier pressing for unity after Mastung tragedy– referring to it as “enemy employing tactics to divide nation on sectarian and ethnic grounds”– the political leadership has resolved to foil terrorist activities and foreign conspiracies aimed at destabilizing Balochistan.
Presiding over a high level meeting on Tuesday on law and order situation in Balochistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed the authorities to immediately bring the Mastung attack perpetrators to justice.
“Pakistan’s enemies are not happy with the country’s progress and development and want to weaken it through such incidents. Some internal or external elements might be behind this horrific incident,” he said.
On the occasion, he also cited Operation Zarb-e-Azb’s success in North Waziristan and announced continual of the operation till last terrorist’s elimination.
Earlier, the Balochistan chief secretary briefed the meeting on law and order situation in the province in general and Mastung incident in particular.
On this occasion, the meeting also offered fateha for the departed souls of Mastung victims.
The meeting was attended by Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch, Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for SAFRON Abdul Qadir Baloch, Minister of State for Petroleum Jam Kamal, Balochistan Minister for Mines Sanaullah Zehri, provincial ministers, Commander Southern Command and Balochistan IG.
Later, addressing the provincial political leadership, the prime minister emphasized the need for forging national unity to foil the nefarious designs of internal and external enemies against the country. He appreciated the responsible posture adopted by the political leadership of the province in the wake of the incident.
“Overall law and order situation has improved in Balochistan since the assumption of power by the government. We are committed to bring further improvement in the situation. Normalcy will be restored in the province including Quetta at all costs,” he said.
Moreover, Sharif regretted India’s stance against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. He said the statement has clearly exposed the Indian designs of “hegemony”. He appreciated China for rejecting the baseless reservations of India on the mega project. He said the opponents of corridor project exist both within and outside the country and the government will have to take extra ordinary measures to confront them.
Tuesday also witnessed the convening of an All Parties Conference (APC) in Quetta where the political leaders adopted a declaration which says that CPEC project has become an “eye sore” to the enemy who is using “negative tactics to derail the project”.
The participants of the conference strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Mastung and vowed to bring the culprits to book. They discussed the law and order situation in Balochistan threadbare and presented various proposals for its improvement.
The APC noted that Mastung tragedy was an attempt to sow seeds of hatred and disunity in the ranks of tribes that have been living in harmony for centuries. The conspiracy was foiled by people of Balochistan through their unity, they agreed.
The APC expressed satisfaction that civil and military leadership was on the same page on the question of elimination of terrorism. There is complete consensus on rooting out terrorism and terrorists, the assured.