Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has called for unity in tackling terrorism in Balochistan, stressing that the issue should not be politicised.
Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, Dar emphasised the need to control terrorism collectively, even if it requires spending up to one trillion rupees on operations.
“The prime minister will be visiting Balochistan in a day or two, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has already reached there,” Dar said. “We maintain that dialogue should be held with those who recognise the state of Pakistan. However, we must condemn and take action against those who, under the guise of discontent, have taken to the mountains,” he added.
Dar accused those involved in violence of being pawns of foreign agencies aiming to destabilise Pakistan. “The enemy wants to ensure that a nuclear-armed country does not achieve economic stability,” he stated. The deputy prime minister stressed that Balochistan is as dear to Pakistan as any other province. “Every Pakistani is saddened by the recent terrorist incidents. We must move forward together instead of politicising this issue,” he urged. Dar proposed forming a joint committee of the Senate and National Assembly, including representatives from both sides, to address the issue. “The Senate represents the federation, and there are intelligent individuals here who can help solve problems affecting any region,” he said. Reflecting on past operations, Dar noted, “We managed to control the situation through operations like Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad, which cost us 100 billion rupees annually. If it takes even a trillion rupees to eliminate terrorism now, we must carry out these operations.” He cautioned against repeating past mistakes, where terrorists were released from jails under the guise of negotiations, allowing them to return to Pakistan. “We should not let those who oppose the country succeed. We have successfully conducted operations before, but negotiations led to significant errors,” Dar remarked. “The enemy creates political and economic crises to prevent us from becoming a nuclear and economic power,” he said, urging the Senate to work together beyond political differences to resolve these issues.