• Balochistan apex body reviews law and order
• IGP says 1,115 cops laid down their lives

QUETTA: The 21st meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee was held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, where the participants were informed that show-cause notices had been issued for the dismissal of nine government officers involved in anti-state activities.

A review of the overall law and order situation, counterterrorism measures, repatriation of illegal foreign nationals, education reforms and action against financial crimes was conducted.

Senior civil and military officials attended the meeting, including Quetta Corps Commander Lieutenant General Rahat Naseem Ahmed Khan and Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan.

The committee strongly condemned the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan and paid tribute to the Pakistan Army for its effective defensive strategy and timely responses. It expressed full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

Additional Chief Secretary Hamza Shafqaat informed the meeting that 721,000 Afghan refugees had so far been repatriated from Balochistan, while nearly one million had returned through the province overall.

Operations against illegal foreign nat­i­o­nals are ongoing, and a reward of Rs50,000 has been announced for credible information leading to their identification.

The committee was told that a crackdown on poppy cultivation had been intensified, and 330 individuals placed on the Fourth Schedule. The Federal Investigation Agency reported that 24 suspects involved in hawala and extortion had been arrested, 16 convicted and further proceedings were underway.

Over the past year, 200,000 out-of-school children have been enrolled, and biometric attendance systems installed in 10 of the province’s 12 universities.

Addressing the meeting, CM Bugti said 28,000 Baloch youth were serving in the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps, and noted that five children of labourers had been selected for the Pakistan Air Force this year.

Separately, Inspector General of Police Balochistan Muhammad Tahir said 1,115 police officers and personnel had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Speaking to a delegation of the National Paigham-i-Pakistan Peace Committee led by Allama Tahir Ashrafi, he said the police would continue to fulfil their responsibilities despite limited resources.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2026