Bugti Urges Fazl to Keep National Security Above Politics
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has said that law and order and national security in Balochistan should be treated as issues beyond political differences, urging JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to keep national interests above partisan considerations.
He stressed that comparisons between the governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, particularly regarding terrorism and national security, must be based on ground realities and practical measures.
The chief minister said he holds the JUI-F chief in high regard and that their personal relationship is based on mutual respect.
Sarfraz Bugti’s message to Fazlur Rehman
In a statement posted on social media platform X, CM Bugti said the Maulana and his party had also been targeted in terrorist attacks. He expressed the hope that the JUI-F chief would take into account the state’s efforts to combat terrorism and the sacrifices made by security forces when commenting on this sensitive national issue.
CM Bugti said the performance of the two provincial governments should be assessed on the basis of their counterterrorism measures, the conduct of their political leadership, and their commitment to eliminating terrorism.
Describing Maulana Fazlur Rehman as a senior politician whose party had also suffered human and political losses due to terrorism, Bugti said comparisons between the governments of KP and Balochistan must consider their practical counterterrorism measures, coordination among political leaders, and cooperation with state institutions.
Why Bugti is courting Fazl now
The outreach comes as Fazl holds unusual political weight. In the standoff over emergency and governor’s rule in KP, the JUI-F chief has emerged as a mediator both sides are courting. PTI leaders said the party’s doors were open to Fazl’s mediation offer, and National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called on him as efforts to end the PTI deadlock continued.
That makes Bugti’s public appeal a calculated move. The Balochistan CM wants Fazl’s criticism of the KP intervention measured against what he calls ground realities, rather than adding to the opposition’s narrative.
He said that despite political differences between the government and opposition in Balochistan, both sides had maintained a common position against terrorism, demonstrating a commitment to placing national interests above partisan considerations.
The chief minister said his government regularly took the opposition into confidence on counterterrorism strategies, key decisions, and related matters in the Balochistan Assembly. He added that the provincial government was committed to taking all parliamentary parties along.
He cited acknowledgements by Opposition Leader Mir Younis Aziz Zehri and a recent speech by Balochistan National Party (Mengal) parliamentary leader Mir Jahanzeb Mengal as evidence of the province’s political leadership recognising its responsibility in the fight against terrorism.
A shared stance against terrorism
CM Bugti said the JUI-F, the National Party, the BNP-Mengal, and other parliamentary parties shared a common stance against terrorism.
He stressed that the fight against terrorism was not merely a matter of political statements or claims but a shared responsibility of the state and the entire nation.
Pakistan, he said, was continuing its efforts to eliminate terrorism, while officers and personnel of the Pakistan Army and other security institutions were making extraordinary sacrifices in the struggle. The province itself has seen heavy operations this month, with security forces killing 18 terrorists in North Waziristan and Mastung, even as violence-linked deaths surged 83 per cent in the third quarter with Balochistan among the hardest hit.
Whether Fazl responds publicly remains to be seen. But Bugti’s statement sets the terms of the debate he wants: judge the provinces by their counterterrorism record, not by their politics.
*Source: Dawn*
What did Sarfraz Bugti say to Fazlur Rehman?
Bugti urged the JUI-F chief to keep national security above politics, saying law and order in Balochistan should be treated beyond political differences. He asked Fazl to consider the state’s counterterrorism efforts and security forces’ sacrifices when commenting on sensitive issues.
Why did Bugti compare KP and Balochistan?
He said comparisons between the two provincial governments on terrorism and national security must be based on ground realities and practical measures, including counterterrorism performance, political leadership conduct and cooperation with state institutions.
How has Balochistan’s opposition responded to the government?
Bugti said both sides had maintained a common position against terrorism, with the government regularly taking the opposition into confidence in the Balochistan Assembly. He cited acknowledgements by Opposition Leader Mir Younis Aziz Zehri and BNP-Mengal leader Mir Jahanzeb Mengal.
