• Insists 18 laws enacted, 17 institutions set up under security plans
• Officials claim 60,000 operations conducted, 1,100 terrorists killed

QUETTA: The Balochistan government has passed 18 laws, established 17 institutions and departments and spent more than Rs14 billion on counterterrorism measures under the National Action Plan, Counterterrorism Policy and Provincial Action Plan, senior provincial officials said on Tuesday.

They also claimed that more than 60,000 counterterrorism operations had been conducted across Balochistan up to October, killing over 1,000 terrorists.

The Counter-Terrorism Depart­ment alone had killed 250 terrorists and arrested another 250 suspects. They said 101 police personnel and around 200 members of other law enforcement agencies had lost their lives, while 551 civilians had been killed in terrorist violence.

The figures were revealed during a joint press conference held by Provincial Home Minister Ziaullah Langove along with Chief Mini­ster’s Adviser on Media and Political Aff­a­irs Shahid Rind and Additional Chief Secretary Home Hamza Shafqaat.

They said measures had also been taken to secure the Quetta-Rakhni, Quetta-Karachi and Quetta-Taftan highways and expressed confidence that the security situation would improve over the next three to four months.

Mr Shafqaat said the provincial government had taken a series of measures over the past two years to implement the National Action Plan, Counter Terrorism Policy and Provincial Action Plan.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2026

QUETTA: As many as 18 labourers working at a marble mine in the Naal area, about 40 kilometres from Khuzdar city, were kidnapped on Sunday, police said.

A large group of armed men entered the mine premises, held the labourers at gunpoint and abducted 18 of them, along with the son of a mine factory’s owner, officials said. The abductors also opened fire on a worker when he attempted to flee, they added.

The abducted labourers are locals from the Wadh and Naal areas.

The mine belongs to Sardar Alam Khan Bizenjo, son of Sardar Aslam Bizenjo, the tribal chief of the Bizenjo tribe. Aslam Bizenjo is affiliated with the National Party and has served as a minister in several Balochistan governments.

While fleeing the scene, the armed men also took away a loader and two vehicles, officials said. Officials said security forces had launched a search operation in the area to trace the abd­u­cted labourers. No group has so far claimed res­ponsibility for the kidnapping.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2026

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has said that law and order and national security in Balochistan should be treated as issues beyond political differences.

He stressed that comparisons between the governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, particularly regarding terrorism and national security, must be based on ground realities and practical measures.

The chief minister said he holds JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in high regard and that their personal relationship is based on mutual respect.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, CM Bugti said the Maulana and his party had also been targeted in terrorist attacks. He expressed the hope that the JUI-F chief would take into account the state’s efforts to combat terrorism and the sacrifices made by security forces when commenting on this sensitive national issue.

CM Bugti said the performance of the two provincial governments should be assessed on the basis of their counterterrorism measures, the conduct of their political leadership, and their commitment to eliminating terrorism.

He said that despite political differences between the government and opposition in Balochistan, both sides had maintained a common position against terrorism, demonstrating a commitment to placing national interests above partisan considerations.

The chief minister said his government regularly took the opposition into confidence on counterterrorism strategies, key decisions, and related matters in the Balochistan Assembly. He added that the provincial government was committed to taking all parliamentary parties along.

He cited acknowledgements by Opposition Leader Mir Younis Aziz Zehri and a recent speech by Balochistan National Party (Mengal) parliamentary leader Mir Jahanzeb Mengal as evidence of the province’s political leadership recognising its responsibility in the fight against terrorism.

CM Bugti said the JUI-F, the National Party, the BNP-Mengal, and other parliamentary parties shared a common stance against terrorism.

He stressed that the fight against terrorism was not merely a matter of political statements or claims but a shared res­p­­o­­nsibility of the state and the entire nation.

Pakistan, he said, was continuing its eff­­­orts to eliminate terrorism, while off­i­cers and personnel of the Pakistan Ar­­­­my and other security institutions were making extraordinary sacrifices in the struggle.

Describing Maulana Fazlur Rehman as a senior politician whose party had also suffered human and political losses due to terrorism, CM Bugti said comparisons between the governments of KP and Balochistan must consider their practical counterterrorism measures, coordination among political leaders, and cooperation with state institutions.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2026