Qaseem Shah:
QUETTA – Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti has declared that Balochistan is the “heart of Pakistan” and the country’s existence is impossible without it. Speaking as the chief guest at the National Stability and Pakistan Conference in Quetta, held under the theme Fateh-e-Ma’rakah-e-Haq and in connection with Independence Day celebrations, the chief minister said that the province’s true image is rarely presented, and even fewer voices speak for it.
Bugti highlighted Balochistan’s historic role in the creation of Pakistan, recalling how tribal elders, under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, convened a jirga and made the historic decision to join Pakistan — a moment he described as being “written in golden letters” in history.
He criticised elements promoting what he termed a “so-called nationalism” to advance anti-Pakistan agendas, warning that such efforts were aimed at pushing the Baloch people into a “futile war” that brings only bloodshed, fear, and loss of innocent lives. Referring to the 1965 war, he said the world witnessed in the Ma’rakah-e-Haq how the Pakistan Army, despite being outnumbered, defeated a much larger enemy.
Addressing socio-political challenges, Bugti stressed that while Balochistan has problems, underdevelopment cannot justify picking up arms or rebelling against the state. Quoting Article 5 of the Constitution, he said it obliges every citizen to show unconditional loyalty to the state. “Those who shed innocent blood cannot call themselves Baloch. Their only identity is that of terrorists,” he asserted.
Bugti also praised Balochistan’s exemplary religious harmony, where all sects and faiths coexist peacefully, and acknowledged the contributions of minority communities to national unity. He cited Senator Dhanesh Kumar’s strong pro-Pakistan voice in the Senate as an example of this unity.
On social media, the CM called it “the biggest fitna (trial) of the modern era,” warning that false information and hate speech are being spread unchecked. He criticised the trend of sharing unverified content, saying it fuels confusion and societal division. “Recently, a month-long football tournament in Balochistan drew 30,000 fans and teams from across the country. But instead of celebrating this success, a small controversial clip was made viral to distract from the achievement,” he lamented.
Highlighting government efforts to connect youth with the state, Bugti said jirgas and open courts have been organised across the province to engage directly with communities. While affirming the right to peaceful protest, he announced that prolonged road blockades have been ended, and those willing to surrender arms will find the doors to dialogue open. However, he warned that the state will stand firmly with victims against perpetrators of violence.
Referring to a recent tragic incident in Musakhel, he described the plight of a grieving woman whose husband and son were brutally killed before her eyes, leaving her with only one sheet to cover both bodies. “Minimising such crimes is the height of injustice,” he said.
Bugti concluded with a strong message of resilience, stating that Pakistan, as a nuclear power with a strong military, will endure “till the end of time.” A handful of armed men, he stressed, cannot impose their ideology on 250 million people. He thanked the conference organisers, especially Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, and pledged the Balochistan government’s full support for events promoting unity and patriotism anywhere in the province.
“This country is the dream of our forefathers and part of our faith. The sun of peace will surely rise here,” the chief minister affirmed.
