ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday declared that no one would be allowed to perpetrate violence in the name of nationality as Balochistan is an essential part of Pakistan and the Parliament must collectively devise a way forward to overcome prevailing unrest in the province.
Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday on the recent terrorist incidents in Balochistan, he said that every Pakistani was sad over the bloody violence and the matter was discussed in detail in the cabinet, adding the interior minister had reached Balochistan to examine the ground situation while Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif would visit Balochistan to review the law and order situation within two days.
“What we need at the moment is unity to tackle terrorism in Balochistan and this important issue should not be politicised”, he stated, emphasising the need for controlling terrorism collectively, even if it requires spending up to one trillion rupees on operations.
“We maintain that dialogue should be held with those who recognise the state of Pakistan. However, we must condemn and take action against those who, under the guise of discontent, have taken to the mountains,” he added.
Dar accused those involved in violence of being pawns of foreign agencies aiming to destabilise Pakistan. “The enemy wants to ensure that a nuclear-armed country does not achieve economic stability,” he stated.
The deputy prime minister stressed that Balochistan is as dear to Pakistan as any other province. “Every Pakistani is saddened by the recent terrorist incidents. We must move forward together instead of politicising this issue,” he urged.
Dar proposed forming a joint committee of the Senate and National Assembly, including representatives from both sides, to address the issue. “The Senate represents the federation, and there are intelligent individuals here who can help solve problems affecting any region,” he said.
Reflecting on past operations, Dar noted, “We managed to control the situation through operations like Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad, which cost us 100 billion rupees annually. If it takes even a trillion rupees to eliminate terrorism now, we must carry out these operations.”
He cautioned against repeating past mistakes, where terrorists were released from jails under the guise of negotiations, allowing them to return to Pakistan. “We should not let those who oppose the country succeed. We have successfully conducted operations before, but negotiations led to significant errors,” Dar remarked.
“The enemy creates political and economic crises to prevent us from becoming a nuclear and economic power,” he said, urging the Senate to work together beyond political differences to resolve these issues.
Dar concluded, “Terrorism in the name of grievances will not be accepted. The state is like a mother. If you accept the Constitution, the law, and the state, then there will be dialogue. We will establish peace in the country at all costs, even if it means making sacrifices to fight terrorism.”
