During a speech in the National Assembly addressing the Jaffer Express attack, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for preventing a major tragedy. He emphasized that terrorism is not a new issue and highlighted its distinct contexts in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman underscored that whether it is religious extremism or separatist terrorism, his party opposes all forms of militancy. He recalled his personal experience, stating that he was just a year old when an attempt was made to kidnap him. His mother, Benazir Bhutto, ensured his safety by keeping him in London, but ultimately, she was assassinated.
Bilawal stressed that Pakistan achieved what the world couldn’t in the fight against terrorism. The country’s armed forces and the public made immense sacrifices, successfully eliminating terrorism at one point. He recalled that during the PTI sit-in, the APS attack occurred, leading all political parties to unite and formulate the National Action Plan (NAP).
He lamented that while Pakistan had broken the back of terrorists, militancy is once again resurging, with each attack becoming more dangerous than the last. Unlike in the past, there is no national consensus on counterterrorism today, allowing hostile forces to exploit internal divisions.
Bilawal reiterated that terrorists have no ideology, religion, or political agenda—their sole aim is to instill fear and kill innocent people. He asserted that neither religious extremists seek to impose Islam, nor do separatists truly fight for Baloch rights or independence—both factions only spread terror.
He accused global powers of supporting these militant groups and insisted that condemnation alone would not suffice. He called for a unified national strategy to combat terrorism, urging unconditional federal support for the chief ministers of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in this fight.
Bilawal also questioned why, if former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was able to implement NAP-1, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could not introduce a new counterterrorism plan. He recalled that during PPP’s tenure, significant constitutional rights were granted to Balochistan, and the party had consistently fought militant elements from Waziristan to Balochistan.
He warned that if terrorism in Balochistan is not contained, it will spread to the rest of Pakistan and beyond. He urged political leaders to move beyond mere condemnations and take decisive action against militant elements.
