Naqvi points finger at India for violence; BNP-M chief sounds alarm

2026-02-01 - 02:36

• Interior minister, Balochistan CM reaffirm resolve against terrorism • Akhtar Mengal says he has ‘never seen such a dangerous situation’ QUETTA: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday held India responsible for a spate of attacks in Balochistan, stressing that authorities would go after every single one of those involved, while an opposition leader warned that the situation in the region had spiralled “completely out of control”. Speaking to the media alongside Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Saturday night, he said: “These were not normal terrorists. India is behind these attacks. I can tell you for sure that India planned these attacks along with these terrorists. “We will expose them in the world — the face with which they meet the world and the face with which they support terrorists.” Mr Naqvi said India was the “main country” behind terrorism, saying that it was not only providing financial support to the terrorists but was also aiding them in planning and devising strategies. CM Bugti expressed gratitude to Mr Naqvi for rushing to Quetta. “We chaired a high-level security meeting and visited the injured at the Combined Military Hospital,” he said. “In terms of the incident itself, information has yet to come, but I want to say that the operation is pretty much over,” he said. He lauded law enforcement and security personnel for their response to the attacks. Earlier, the interior minister and CM Bugti attended funeral prayers for the martyred personnel and visited Police Lines to meet the bereaved families in Quetta. They reaffirmed that the resolve of the people and the state against terrorism remained unshakable. “The people and security forces of Balochistan are brave and courageous,” an official statement quoted Mr Naqvi as saying. “Our soldiers took comprehensive and effective action against terrorists. The sacrifices of martyrs cannot be forgotten, and the nation salutes them.” Addressing the families, CM Bugti vowed that “every drop of the martyrs’ blood would be avenged” and urged them to remain steadfast and patient. He emphasised that the people of Balochistan owed a debt to their sacrifice. Situation ‘out of control’ Sardar Akhtar Mengal, president of his faction of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) and a former chief minister, offered a sharp contrast to the government’s assurances. “I have never seen such a dangerous situation in my entire life,” Mr Mengal said in a statement posted on the social media platform X. Mr Mengal, a member of the National Assembly, stated with “full conviction” that no tribal chief could enter his own area without fear of militant attacks. He called this a reality that should deeply alarm everyone, stressing that the security situation was “completely out of control”. He added: “We take no pleasure in seeing our land burn.” The BNP-M chief attributed the crisis to “hatred, oppression and the misuse of power” that, he said, had continued over the past three years. He argued that instead of heeding warnings, the government had funded propaganda against those trying to resolve the province’s issues. “If the government were to stop funding private media channels to propagate against him and others genuinely striving to address Balochistan’s issues, it could help foster at least a modest sense of security,” he said. “Everyone knew this day would come, but no one chose to listen,” Mr Mengal said, criticising federal institutions for “blindly” repeating the narrative that no problem existed. Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2026