ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday accused India of sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan, alleging that New Delhi was providing support and resources to militant groups to destabilise the country.
Addressing participants of the Balochistan National Workshop in Islamabad, the prime minister said terrorism had been eliminated by 2018 but later resurfaced as part of an organised conspiracy.
He claimed India’s role in fuelling terrorism in Pakistan was evident and urged Afghanistan to ensure its territory was not used by militant groups to launch attacks against Pakistan.Paying tribute to the Baloch and Pashtun communities, Shehbaz said they had played a vital role in the creation of Pakistan and continued to strengthen the federation by placing national interests above personal considerations.
Highlighting the government’s development initiatives in Balochistan, the prime minister said Punjab had contributed Rs150 billion to the province under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, while successive federal governments had allocated record funds for its development.
He said 27,000 tube wells had been converted to solar energy under a Rs75 billion project, with the federal government contributing Rs50 billion. He also said the Karachi-Chaman dual carriageway, estimated to cost Rs300 billion, was under construction and expected to be completed within two years.
Expressing grief over the deaths of Sessions Judge Abdul Hakeem and a security official in the recent Mastung attack, Shehbaz said the sacrifices of the people of Balochistan would not go in vain and lauded the armed forces and law enforcement agencies for their role in safeguarding the country.
The prime minister said nearly 90,000 Pakistanis had lost their lives in the fight against terrorism and stressed that the country’s focus should now shift towards economic growth and national prosperity.
He also commended the services of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, saying Pakistan’s recent diplomatic and strategic achievements were receiving international recognition.
