AS violence and terrorism in Balochistan is taking alarming dimensions, Pakistan Army’s top brass has strongly asserted that it is imperative to take decisive and holistic actions at all levels against the Indian-backed and sponsored proxies.
The 271st Corps Commanders Conference (CCC), chaired by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Thursday, noted that following its manifest defeat in direct aggression against Pakistan, post-Pahalgam incident, India is now doubling down to further its nefarious agenda through its proxies of Fitna Al Khawarij and Fitna Al Hindustan. Taking stock of recent successes against terrorist proxies, the forum resolved that the blood of our Shuhada will not go waste and the safety and security of people of Pakistan remain top-most priority for the defence forces of Pakistan.
The resolve expressed by the Army leadership to launch holistic actions at all levels is the voice of the nation as Indian-backed proxies have intensified their anti-state and terrorist activities in the aftermath of Pakistan-India war where New Delhi miserably failed to realize any of its nefarious designs and stood exposed before the comity of nations. Hardly a day passes without killing innocent people on the basis of their domicile and attacks on personnel of law enforcing agencies and symbols of the federation. As Corps Commanders were mulling ways and means to address the challenge, Indian proxies hit again in the province, slaying nine people from Punjab. The tragedy occurred near Zhob where armed assailants stopped the bus going from Quetta to Lahore, removed passengers, and selectively identified and executed nine individuals. Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti strongly condemned the brutal killing of passengers in Sar Dhaka, calling it open terrorism carried out by elements linked to Fitna-e-Hindustan. Calling the act an unforgivable crime, the CM vowed the response would be tough and decisive as this has become a war against the State. In fact, the attack was not an isolated event it is a continuation of past incidents where innocent citizens had been deliberately targeted by India’s proxies including Fitna al-Hindustan. There is no doubt that the law enforcing agencies are alert and taking measures to protect lives and properties of citizens as well as safeguard interests of the State as is evident from the fact that the terrorists linked with Fitna al-Hindustan launched attacks in Mastung and Kalat as well the same day but these were successfully repelled by security forces. The Government has issued revised standard operating procedure for security of passengers but the Zhob tragedy took place despite improved security arrangements, prompting the authorities to look into loopholes and come out with additional precautions.
It is, however, a fact that the enemy is bent upon taking revenge of its defeat from people of Pakistan as highlighted by attacks on personnel of defence forces, intelligence agencies, police, tehsil and district administrations, passengers from other provinces, workers from Punjab and Sindh, infrastructure and developmental projects aimed at improving the lot of Baloch people. This Indian-backed network of terrorists and saboteurs was exposed further during the Iran-Israel conflict, emphasizing the need to engage Iran into meaningful dialogue to forge cooperation for elimination of these terrorists and their backers. It is understood that the large-scale penetration of the enemy and its agents cannot be handled merely through improved security measures as it is next to impossible to guard each and every mode of travel, government officials and installations. The task becomes all the more difficult when some unscrupulous elements are knowingly or unknowingly extending direct or indirect help to these enemies of Pakistan and are instead engaged in venomous propaganda against the defence forces. In this backdrop, intelligence gathering becomes all the more important to foil designs of the enemy and launch pin-point operations against perpetrators of serious crimes. The Federal and Balochistan Governments must take a lead in initiating an all-inclusive political dialogue to isolate trouble-makers as such a strategy will complement the hands of the law-enforcing agencies in rooting out this vicious circle of violence. Our security agencies definitely have the capability to inflict a defeat on terrorists, who have suddenly become more active in Balochistan, but the success is deeply linked to evolution of a holistic strategy, which, among other things, should include creation of a conducive environment in the province besides exposure of India’s blood stained hands before the international community.
