Owners to be liable if terrorists use their land: Bugti

Quetta, Balochistan: Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has warned vineyard and property owners in Mastung that they will be considered facilitators if their land is utilized for attacks on security forces or provincial ministers. At a media briefing following the inauguration of digital initiatives at the Central Police Office, Bugti emphasized the government's intent to avoid harming civilians, who often serve as human shields for terrorists.

He stated that property owners cannot claim ignorance if attacks originate from their vineyards. "If a convoy of security forces or the home minister is attacked from a vineyard, the owners cannot claim they were unaware of terrorists being present on their land," Bugti warned. He added that the government may need to relocate large groups of people or eliminate vineyards used for terrorist activities if private properties continue to be used for terrorism.

"The blood of Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, and police personnel is extremely sacred," he said, stressing that the government would not tolerate security personnel being martyred while private properties are used for terrorism. Meanwhile, Bugti outlined Balochistan's progress towards digital governance, highlighting the upgrading of eight existing Balochistan Police apps and the introduction of eight new ones to improve transparency and public services.

A women's safety application was also launched, enabling users to trigger emergency alerts with a single click. The chief minister announced a campaign targeting female students, working women, and travelers, and allocated funds for digital facilities such as Khidmat Markaz, hotel and travel services, and the IGP Police Complaint Cell.

Bugti also announced Rs5 million in cash rewards for officers and personnel involved in the digitalization drive and allocated Rs50 million for further digitalization of the Balochistan Police. The Safe City Authority, integrated with law-enforcement agencies, was established under relevant legislation. Regarding tehsildar recruitment, Bugti acknowledged an internal error and formed a committee to submit its report within seven to 10 days, reiterating the government's commitment to merit-based processes.