Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi approves the immediate transfer following a request from Balochistan’s Chief Minister to bolster the province’s counter-terrorism capabilities.
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has approved the immediate dispatch of a fleet of bulletproof vehicles to Balochistan, a consignment that was previously offered to and refused by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government. The move aims to strengthen counter-terrorism operations in the province.
The decision was announced by Minister Naqvi on social media platform X, in direct response to a public appeal from Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. CM Bugti had requested that the vehicles be transferred to his province if KP was unwilling to accept them.
“Like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan is also affected by terrorism,” Bugti stated in his post. “An appeal to the Interior Minister… if the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is refusing to acquire bulletproof vehicles, then they should be transferred to the Balochistan government so that terrorism can be effectively countered.”
Naqvi promptly accepted the request, posting in reply, “CM Sahib done. These bulletproof vehicles will be sent to Balochistan immediately to enhance counter-terrorism efforts. Thank you for raising this.”
This development comes shortly after KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced his government’s decision to return the vehicles to the federal government. Presiding over his first formal meeting, CM Afridi criticized the vehicles as “substandard and outdated.”
He revealed that the Interior Ministry had provided the bulletproof vehicles to the KP police a few days prior to address security challenges. However, Afridi characterized the provision of these specific vehicles as “an insult” to the police force.
In the same meeting, the KP Chief Minister also directed that the security protocols for former chief ministers be restored to ensure their protection and dignity.
