Balochistan issue has only military solution, says CM Bugti

Balochistan – (Web Desk) – Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said the challenges facing the province are not political in nature and can only be dealt with through a military approach. He confirmed that at least 31 civilians and 17 security personnel were martyred in recent attacks carried out by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) across different areas of the province.

Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Bugti dismissed claims that thousands of militants were involved in the coordinated attacks. He said such figures were exaggerated and misleading, adding that the number of attackers did not exceed 200 to 250, most of whom have either been killed or forced to flee. He also accused militant groups of deliberately using civilians as human shields, particularly during assaults in populated areas.

Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti has once again demonstrated that leadership knows no hour. Whether by day or by night, he stands at the forefront with his troops, united in the fight against terrorism. His late-night visit to jawans deployed across #Quetta reflects… pic.twitter.com/mW5sUuE5xL

— Engr. Saad Kaleem (@WordsOfKaleem) February 1, 2026

Addressing a question about the scale of militancy in Balochistan, the chief minister estimated that the total number of terrorists, along with their supporters and facilitators, ranges between 4,000 and 5,000. He linked the resurgence of organised militant activity since 2021 to what he described as a policy of appeasement adopted after 2018, contrasting it with earlier years when security forces maintained strong checkpoints and a visible presence, keeping militants on the run.

He added that a change in policy following the formation of a new government in 2018 allowed militants to regroup.

“When a new policy came, we started appeasing them. Because of this, by 2021, they became organised. In 2023 and 2024, they became even more organised and stronger,” he said, adding that after his government assumed office in 2024, the policy was reviewed.

“We asked ourselves what we were doing and why we were giving them a free run,” he said.

Bugti also addressed reports circulating on social media about senior terrorist commander Bashir Zeb, saying that although the footage could not be independently verified, official assessments strongly indicated that he was in Afghanistan.

“It cannot be confirmed 100%, but according to 99.99% of the information available to the government, he is in Afghanistan,” the chief minister said.

He said Afghan soil was being used against Pakistan and maintained that militant leadership continued to operate from across the border.

At the same time, Bugti said the public overwhelmingly stood with the state.

“The people are largely with the state of Pakistan. It is not a new thing for one, two or three per cent of people to sympathise with insurgents. Wherever there are insurgencies in the world, this level of support exists,” he said.

The remarks came after the chief minister confirmed that at least 145 terrorists had been killed in almost 40 hours across Balochistan after militants belonging to the BLA launched coordinated attacks across 12 towns.

Addressing a press conference in Quetta, Bugti said the assaults were carried out by terrorists affiliated with the India-sponsored Fitna al-Hindustan, targeting civilians in Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni.

During the briefing, the chief minister said the bodies of 145 terrorists were in the custody of the authorities and disclosed that in Gwadar, terrorists had martyred five women and three children.

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Bugti accused hostile elements of attempting to destabilise Pakistan at the behest of India and questioned whether the BLA was a registered political party with which talks could be held.

He said the group sought to impose its ideology through the use of guns and reiterated that the government was not prepared to surrender even for a second.

“We will not surrender. They can destabilise, but they cannot take a single inch of our country,” the chief minister said.