News Desk: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has warned owners of grape orchards and private properties in Mastung that they could be treated as facilitators if their land is used to launch attacks on security forces or government officials. He also announced an inquiry into complaints concerning the BPSC Tehsildar recruitment process.
Speaking at the Central Police Office in Quetta on Friday, Bugti said orchard owners had repeatedly been warned against allowing terrorists to use their properties for terrorist activities.
He said if a security forces’ convoy or the provincial interior minister came under attack from an orchard, the property owner could not simply claim ignorance about the presence of terrorists.
“If private property is used for terrorism, its owner will also be considered a facilitator,” Bugti warned.
He said the government did not want civilians to be harmed because terrorists often use local residents as human shields. However, he stressed that the state’s patience had limits.
Bugti warned that if private properties continued to be used for terrorist attacks, the government could consider relocating residents or removing orchards being used for terrorism.
“The blood of Pakistan Army, FC and police personnel is sacred,” he said, adding that the government would not tolerate the continued use of private properties for attacks on security personnel.
BPSC Tehsildar Recruitment Probe
Regarding the Balochistan Public Service Commission (BPSC) Tehsildar recruitment, Bugti said an internal error had come to his notice following complaints about the recruitment process.
He announced that a committee had been formed in coordination with BPSC to investigate the matter and submit its report within seven to 10 days.
The chief minister said the findings would be shared with the media and the public after the report was received.
Bugti reiterated that the provincial government would not compromise on merit, repeatedly emphasizing “merit, merit and merit.”
He said political considerations would not be allowed to influence recruitment, even if maintaining merit resulted in political losses.
Balochistan Police Digitalisation
Bugti also launched 18 digital initiatives of Balochistan Police, including eight upgraded and eight newly developed applications.
He announced Rs50 million for further police digitalisation during the current year and a Rs5 million cash award for the officers and personnel who worked on the digital initiatives.
The new services include public complaints, criminal justice facilities, women’s protection, travel and hotel services and the IG Police complaints portal.
Bugti said the women’s safety app would enable users to issue an emergency alert with one click and immediately notify police and family members.
On the overall security situation, he described Balochistan as facing an “intelligence-based war” and said the government would continue strengthening the police and modernising law-enforcement systems.
