Syed Ali Shah:
QUETTA: Home Minister of Balochistan, Mir Ziaullah Langove, hinted at a breakthrough regarding the prolonged Chaman sit-in soon on Wednesday. “Ice is melting and very soon you will hear good news,” the Home Minister told this scribe in an exclusive interview. “They are our people, and we will not hesitate to meet and address their grievances,” he said.
Mr. Langove mentioned that the leaders of the Chaman sit-in will be meeting with the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, to find a solution to the prolonged protest. “All their issues are related to the federal government rather than the provincial,” the Home Minister mentioned. “They are our people, and protecting their jobs is our responsibility,” he said.
In response to a question about the increasing incidents of targeted killings, the Minister said India and Afghanistan were behind the prevailing unrest in Balochistan. “They are responsible for acts of terrorism in Balochistan,” Mr. Langove stated.
He said the foreign office has repeatedly conveyed this concern to the relevant quarters of the two countries. “We have to be united against all such evils and acts of terrorism,” Mir Ziaullah Langove said.
In response to another question, the Home Minister said security forces have conducted intelligence-based operations and arrested key terrorist commanders, foiling the designs of the enemies of Pakistan. “Our forces continue to battle terrorists who play with the lives of innocent people,” he said. He mentioned that Gulzar Shambay, a key commander of a militant group, was arrested by the security forces in a successful operation. “This shows our forces’ commitment,” he said.
Mir Ziaullah Langove assured that the salaries of the police and levies personnel would be increased in Balochistan and they would be brought on par with the Punjab province. “We will definitely discuss the increase in salaries of our forces,” he said. Earlier, the Minister spoke at length about the issues in Balochistan at a seminar organized by the Voice of Balochistan and the Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences (BUITEMS).
