President Asif Ali Zardari is scheduled to visit the coastal city of Gwadar in Balochistan on Thursday where he will chair a meeting focused on the law and order situation in Balochistan. Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and other government officials are also expected to participate in the meeting.
The official sources have said that this meeting serves as a follow-up to last month’s session chaired by Zardari in Quetta. During Thursday’s discussion, Zardari will reportedly assess the overall security situation in Balochistan and review decisions made in the previous meeting.
The key topics on the agenda include ‘counterterrorism’ measures, trafficking, and smuggling.
It is pertinent to mention that on March 20, the Baloch Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade carried out a significant self-sacrificial attack on the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. The attack, executed by eight BLA ‘fidayee,’ targeted Pakistani intelligence agencies that have offices in the complex.
The BLA has consistently launched targeted assaults against Pakistani interests and Chinese investments in Balochistan’s coastal region under the banner of “Operation Zarpahazag.” Their stated objective is to free Balochistan from what they perceive as ‘exploitative’ and ‘imperialistic’ policies imposed by both the Pakistani state and foreign investors, including China.
Meanwhile, as President Zardari arrives in Quetta, families of Baloch missing persons continue their indefinite sit-in protest in Turbat since the first day of Eid. They demand an end to enforced disappearances and the safe return of their loved ones. Across different cities in Balochistan, Eid day has transformed from a time of celebration to one of mourning and dismay for these families who yearn for the safe release of their missing loved ones.