Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Quetta on Thursday on a one-day visit to assess the security and law and order conditions in the province, following several terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of scores of people.
During his visit, the prime will preside over a high-level discussion on the state of security, law, and order. He will be accompanied by Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, and Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan.
The Prime Minister’s visit takes place amidst recent violence in the nation’s largest province by area, where at least 37 people lost their lives in several terrorist assaults in Balochistan.
In the Rarasham district of Musakhel, Balochistan, on Monday, at least 23 people died after being offloaded from passenger vehicles and trucks.
Separately, a gun attack in Kalat claimed the lives of at least ten persons, including members of the police and Balochistan Levies.
In addition, at least 14 brave sons of the soil, comprising 10 soldiers of the security forces and 4 members of law enforcement agencies (LEAs), lost their lives in clearance operations, which were carried out after at least 37 individuals lost their lives in various terrorist incidents and resulted in the neutralization of at least 21 militants.
Both the federal and provincial administrations have responded forcefully to the recent killings, with PM Shehbaz dismissing negotiations and taking a “soft approach” to dealing with the enemy.
During his visit to Quetta that same day, Federal Interior Minister Naqvi emphasized the necessity of “going after” individuals who were supporting these acts.
To exact revenge for the deaths, the province government of Balochistan, led by Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, has promised to take tough measures against the terrorists “without launching any grand operation.”
