IN the backdrop of the dastardly terrorist attack on the bus of APS students in Khuzdar, the government on Friday hinted at initiating an operation against terrorists in Balochistan similar to Zarb-e-Azb that was launched against the terrorist outfits in the (former) Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in 2014.
During their joint news conference, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry and Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha indicated that a full-fledged operation required necessary preparations and presently intelligence based operations (IBOs) are underway to eliminate terrorists and break their linkages with their masters and handlers.
No State can tolerate challenges to the sovereignty of the country and threats to lives and properties of the citizens but the security forces exercised utmost restraint in the case of trouble-makers in Balochistan because of understandable reasons.
However, with the passage of time, Balochistan has become a battle ground of intelligence agencies of some foreign countries, which are hatching conspiracies to destabilize the province as part of their long term plans to harm Pakistan.
The involvement of India’s RAW is an open secret and long before Pakistan shared evidence of its support to terrorist activities in the country, especially the provinces of Balochistan and KP.
However, the attack on the school bus shows the cowardly enemy has shifted its focus from hard to soft targets and that some misguided elements have become a willing tool in the hands of the enemy to carry out gruesome killings including those of innocent children, women and labourers.
The military spokesperson said arrested terrorists had admitted to receiving funding from India for various attacks and that the Khuzdar incident was carried out at India’s behest.
Fitna al-Hindustan is targeting innocent people, including children and travellers.
Balochistan has immense resources and a strategic location and the government is investing hugely, in close coordination with China and some other friendly countries, to utilize these resources and opportunities prudently for the welfare of Baloch people and overall progress and development of the country.
The intensification of terrorist activities is clearly aimed at disrupting the process of all-round progress and development, which has the potential to transform the lives of the local population.
Time has come to launch a comprehensive operation covering military, political, diplomatic and economic aspects and dimensions to wipe out terrorists at all costs.
