Bilawal, Sarfaraz Bugti discuss Balochistan security, political situation

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari on Saturday met Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti at Zardari House, where they discussed the province's administrative, political and security situation, with particular focus on the recent wave of terrorism.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Bugti briefed Bilawal on the overall administrative and political affairs of Balochistan, as well as the prevailing security situation following recent terrorist incidents in the province.

The chief minister informed the PPP chairman that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had played a comprehensive role in consoling the families affected by the Ziarat incident and addressing their demands. He also said that a judicial commission had been established at the request of the victims' families to investigate the incident.

Bugti briefed Bilawal that an all-party conference (APC) would soon be convened to discuss measures for restoring peace in Balochistan. He said political parties both inside and outside parliament would be invited to participate in the conference to build broad-based consensus on tackling the province's challenges.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid tribute to the martyrs of the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and police who lost their lives in the recent wave of terrorism. He said he could feel the pain and suffering of the families of those martyred in the attacks.

The PPP chairman appreciated Chief Minister Bugti's efforts in supporting the families affected by the Ziarat incident and acknowledged his role in facilitating a successful negotiation process. He also thanked opposition parties for their constructive role in helping make the negotiations successful.

Bilawal stressed that dialogue remained the only viable solution to Balochistan's political issues, reaffirming the PPP's longstanding belief in engaging with all political parties, regardless of whether they are in government or in the opposition.

Reiterating the party's stance on militancy, Bilawal said the PPP's position against terrorism had been clear from the very beginning. "We will stand like a leaden wall against terrorism," he said, reaffirming the party's commitment to defeating terrorism and promoting lasting peace in Balochistan.