CM Bugti says nothing justifies violence, at UMT convocation in Lahore

LAHORE, 31 October: Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti said on Saturday that loyalty to Pakistan is unconditional. He was addressing the convocation of the University of Management and Technology (UMT) in Lahore. He said some quarters were spreading confusion and a misleading narrative in the name of presenting Balochistan’s case and the real problems of its people.

Balochistan currently faces three major challenges. These are a narrative that justifies violence, armed terrorism, and the shaping of young minds through social media.

Clear stance against violence and terrorism

Terrorists are destroying Balochistan’s infrastructure and killing innocent Pakistanis. No deprivation or political disagreement can be used to justify violence. The answer to Balochistan’s problems lies not in the gun but in education, dialogue, the political process and democratic attitudes.

Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said loyalty to Pakistan is unconditional and that the people of Balochistan are equal citizens of the country. He said it is necessary to understand the province’s real problems, sense of deprivation and development needs. However, he said, supporting or justifying separatist violence on the basis of these problems is in no way right.

He said some quarters link backwardness, deprivation and other issues with armed violence and build a narrative that blurs the facts. He said observers and analysts who discuss the situation in Balochistan have a responsibility to speak on the basis of facts and not to try to make violence acceptable in any way.

He said the second major challenge facing Balochistan is armed violence. Terrorists in armed groups are targeting people, killing innocent citizens and destroying the province’s infrastructure. He said terrorism is not only a loss of human lives but also an obstacle to Balochistan’s development, economic activity, education and the better future of its people.

Every citizen has the right to disagree and to make political demands, but imposing one’s views on others at gunpoint can never be acceptable.

Identifying the third challenge, the Chief Minister said young people in particular are being targeted through social media with misleading information and negative propaganda. He said young people must be made aware that they should test every piece of news, claim and narrative against research and facts.

Education and scholarships

The role of universities and educational institutions is not only to award degrees but also to produce aware, responsible and critically thinking citizens who can play a positive part in society.

Mir Sarfraz Bugti praised the scholarships UMT provides to students from Balochistan. He said he was pleased to learn that UMT has given young people from Balochistan opportunities for higher education. He said the Punjab government’s annual provision of Rs1 billion for the promotion of education in Balochistan is a commendable example of inter-provincial cooperation and national unity.

Such steps not only give students from Balochistan opportunities to move ahead but also strengthen trust and relations between the provinces.

He said the Balochistan government is trying to educate more than 80 per cent of its students on 80 per cent scholarships, so that a lack of financial resources does not stop any talented young person from getting higher education. He said the aim is to give the youth of Balochistan quality education, modern skills and equal opportunities for progress. Investing in the education of young people, he said, is in fact an investment in the bright future of Balochistan and Pakistan.

The Chief Minister said the youth of Balochistan are talented. By giving them suitable opportunities, guidance and educational facilities, they can be given an effective role in the mainstream of national progress. He said education is the path that keeps young people away from extremism, violence and misleading ideologies and draws them towards knowledge, awareness and positive activities. He said the young generation must be shown the way of hope, hard work and progress, not despair and negative propaganda.

Congratulating the graduating students, their parents and teachers at the convocation, the Chief Minister Balochistan said graduation is not the end of a journey but the start of a new and important stage of practical life. He said the students are stepping into a new world where continuous hard work, honesty and perseverance are of fundamental importance for success.

He urged the graduates to hone their abilities, set high goals and use their education and skills in the service of the country and the nation. Mir Sarfraz Bugti thanked the university administration, faculty and organisers and said attending the convocation was an honour for him.

He extended good wishes for the bright future of all the graduates and said that, by making hard work and honesty their way of life, young people can succeed in every field.

Photo: courtesy DGPR Balochistan