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Bugti denies PM REITERATES STANCE ON PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD CM insurgency in WITH PRE-1967 BORDERS, AL QUDS AS CAPITAL Balochistan, blames Wednesday, 15 October, 2025 | 21 Rabius Sani, 1447
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PREMIER SHEHBAZ SAYS PALESTINIAN PEOPLE’S FREEDOM AND DIGNITY REMAIN A PRIMARY CONCERN OF PAKISTAN’S MIDDLE EAST POLICY
HIGHLIGHTS PAKISTAN’S ACTIVE DIPLOMATIC ROLE ALONGSIDE BROTHERLY NATIONS FOR PEACE AND HUMANITARIAN RELIEF IN GAZA
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 98 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE CESSATION OF THE ‘GENOCIDAL CAMPAIGN’ IN GAZA FOLLOWING GAZA PEACE SUMMIT IN EGYPT
CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACK IN SWAT’S MATTA AREA, WHERE LEVIES OFFICIAL ABDUL KABEER EMBRACED MARTYRDOM
– directs complete transparency, timely execution of Jinnah Medical Complex project ISLAMABAD
staff report
P
ISLAMABAD
staff report
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the establishment of a strong and viable Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital, calling it the cornerstone of Pakistan’s Middle East policy. He also strongly condemned a terrorist attack on a polio vaccination team in Swat’s Matta area, in which a security official was martyred, vowing that the government’s resolve to eradicate
polio would remain unshaken. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) while returning from Egypt after attending the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm el Sheikh, the prime minister said that the freedom, dignity, and prosperity of the Palestinian people remained a primary concern for Pakistan. “The establishment of a strong and viable Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital remains the bedrock of Pakistan’s Middle East policy and will remain so,” the prime minister wrote. Reflecting on what he described as the “potentially transformational nature”
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to ensure complete transparency and strict adherence to timelines at every stage of the construction of the Jinnah Medical Complex (JMC), describing it as a flagship healthcare initiative aimed at providing world-class medical services to the people. Chairing a high-level review meeting on the Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Centre, the prime minister emphasized that the project must be executed with the “highest professional standards” and free of any procedural lapses. He said the government was determined to deliver a state-of-the-art medical and research facility that would set new benchof the summit, Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan’s foremost priority was the immediate cessation of the genocidal campaign in Gaza. He added that Pakistan was deeply en-
marks in healthcare delivery and medical education. The meeting was informed that the design consultant for the JMC project had been selected, while the contract process with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) was currently in progress. The federal cabinet, it was noted, had already approved the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the complex to ensure timely initiation of operational planning. Officials further apprised the meeting that the geotechnical study of the project site had been completed, while hydrology and seismic studies were expected to be finalized by next month. The advertisements for the selection of experts for third-party validation of the project would also be issued soon to ensure transparency and quality assurance at all stages.
gaged in the diplomatic process and, alongside other brotherly nations, continued to advocate for a durable ceasefire and humanitarian relief for the people of Gaza.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
India-backed groups QUETTA
News Desk
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Tuesday rejected the notion that an insurgency exists in the province, saying the violence was being fuelled by “India-backed socalled separatist movements” aimed at destabilising Pakistan. Speaking at the 17th National Workshop in Quetta, the chief minister said the ongoing violence in Balochistan was the result of external interference rather than a local uprising. “There is no insurgency in Balochistan — only so-called separatist movements,” he told participants. “The purpose of these anti-state elements is to harm and divide Pakistan,” Bugti said, accusing India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of playing a “clear role” in worsening the province’s security situation. “Separatists are pleased with India but seek to damage Pakistan,” he added. Balochistan has seen a surge in militant attacks in recent months, with groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) adopting more sophisticated tactics and increasingly targeting security forces. Bugti stressed that the fight against terrorism was not limited to the country’s armed forces. “This war is the collective responsibility of the entire nation,” he said. He argued that narratives of “uneven development” were being deliberately spread to create divisions within the province. “The term ‘disgruntled Baloch’ was coined to justify terrorism,” the chief minister said. “Anyone who picks up arms against the state is not an angry citizen — he is a terrorist.” Bugti also said that social media had been used to drive a wedge between the youth and the state, adding that the provincial government was engaging with students across universities to listen to their concerns. To strengthen counterterrorism efforts, Bugti said the province had allocated Rs100 million to enhance the capacity of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). “Security forces are conducting operations in areas where it is often difficult to distinguish between friends and foes,” he said. Reports from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) and the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) show that Pakistan has witnessed nearly as much violence in the first three quarters of 2025 as in all of 2024. Last year, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded the highest number of terrorist attacks with 295 incidents. Meanwhile, violence in Balochistan surged by 119 per cent, with the BLA and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) accounting for 171 incidents, according to the reports.