For decades, Balochistan has been known as a land of unrest; this is a province caught between its promise and its pain. But Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has now drawn a firm line between myth and reality.
In his words, there is no insurgency in Balochistan, as according to him, only a foreign-funded drama scripted to make Pakistan bleed from within. Speaking in Quetta, Bugti said that India’s intelligence agency RAW is deeply involved in stirring violence through so-called separatist movements. His claim may sound strong, but it carries the weight of history, from the arrests of Indian spies to the pattern of attacks that conveniently target Pakistan’s stability rather than any true cause of local justice.
Bugti’s point was not only about security; it was also about perception. For years, a narrative has been built to show Balochistan as abandoned, its people as angry, and its youth as lost.
“This illusion of uneven development,” he said, “has been used to justify terrorism.” In his view, the label of “disgruntled Baloch” is both dishonest and dangerous – a mask for militants who use violence as their voice.
The chief minister’s words also carried a message for young people, one of inclusion, not alienation. He admitted that propaganda on social media has created mistrust, but promised that his government is now reaching out to campuses and communities to bridge the gap.
Bugti’s government has allocated funds to strengthen the Counter-Terrorism Department, calling the fight against militancy a collective responsibility of the nation, not just the army. If armed forces can expose the hand that feeds the fire, peace in Balochistan is not a dream. In a land long misread, Bugti’s voice rises as both a challenge and a promise. *