'Large-scale operation against terrorists commenced in Balochistan'

QUETTA: Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove has said that a large-scale operation against terrorists has been commenced in Balochistan, ARY News reported on Monday.

Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove chaired a meeting on law and order situation where the participants reviewed an investigation report regarding the Machh massacre besides discussing the future strategy and recommendations.

“A large-scale operation has been commenced against terrorists as the enemies of the country are behind the latest wave of terrorism,” said the minister.

He said that the anti-state elements wanted to divide the nation on sectarian and ethnic basis besides carrying out terrorist activities in an organised way.

Read: Families of Machh victims meet PM Imran Khan

Langove said that the province is currently at a war zone and action will be taken at the site where terrorists are present.

Earlier in the month, at least 11 coal miners had been brutally killed after being kidnapped by armed men in Machh shooting incident on January 3.

The terrifying incident had shaken the nation, whereas, the relatives of the victims organised sit-ins along with the dead bodies for almost a week to protest against the killings.

After holding negotiations with the government team, the protestors had ended their sit-in in Quetta on last Friday night and agreed to bury their loved ones.

Read: Balochistan govt announces Rs2 mn reward for identifying Machh killers

Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing media representatives in Islamabad yesterday, had said that India was backing ISIS in the region to spread chaos in Pakistan. New Delhi was sponsoring terrorism and sectarianism in the country. The prime minister maintained that India was behind the terror attack in Balochistan.

He had said Pakistan’s security agencies successfully preempted Indian plots to fan sectarianism. had added that it is unfortunate that terrorists targeted Hazara workers in the thinly populated area.

PM Imran had said previous governments did not pay due attention to Balochistan and always preferred to form alliance with the local chieftains, who became the biggest hurdle in transferring development funds to the grassroots level.

The prime minister had said PTI government has focused the socio-economic development of Balochistan to uplift the common citizens of the province who are facing extreme poverty.