Govt should change its approach to tackle Balochistan situation: Altaf Shakoor

KARACHI, March 13 (SABAH): The situation in Balochistan is getting worse with every passing day, but the approach of our government to tackle it is rather timid. Balochistan needs a more assertive and bolder approach, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor here Thursday.

Altaf Shakoor said the security situation in Balochistan demands urgent daring actions. Balochistan needs a very strict security operation, without considering the noise of pressure groups.

The government has been failing on both political and security fronts. Foreign spy agencies and their local agents have got a dreadful influence in Balochistan and our security apparatus has sadly failed to respond appropriately, he said.

The government should fully assert itself in Balochistan on both political and security fronts. A broad-based dialogue with all political actors should be started at once along with a very very strict security operation against the armed miscreants and their local supporters. No leniency should be allowed to the terrorists and their supporters who are killing innocent citizens, he said.

Altaf Shakoor said that all main highways and rail lines in Balochistan should be made safer at all costs. Special guards and commandos should be posted in trains and coaches. All government servants, especially security officials of each and every rank, should be given free arms licences and small arms free of cost to save their lives. They should be barred from traveling on roads and rail without small arms for their personal safety. Mine workers, labourers and other people in Balochistan who are soft targets of terrorists should also be armed.

He said security officials of each and every rank posted in Balochistan and their families should be given free air travel vouchers instead of railway vouchers. This will increase travel expenses but it is worth saving precious lives, he said, adding that COAS Gen Syed Asim Munir should consider this request.

The government should use human intelligence, besides AI, to devise mechanisms to cope with armed miscreants. Specially trained troops should be sent to difficult hilly areas where the terrorists have their camps, he said.

Altaf Shakoor said now enough is enough and the security agencies should flex their muscle against the terrorists in Balochistan. He said a completely different and very strict approach in Balochistan should be adopted immediately. He said the security agencies should learn from the best practices of security agencies in other parts of the world where such situations have already been overcome successfully.

He said on the political front Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif should set up his camp office in Quetta. Necessary changes should be brought in the Balochistan cabinet. He said even after this if the provincial government fails to deliver a Governor’s Rule may also be considered for Balochistan.