QUETTA: In a dual push for public safety and security, the Balochistan government has launched a province-wide crackdown on the illegal fuel trade while simultaneously advancing significant amendments to its counter-terrorism laws.
Chairing two high-level meetings on Tuesday, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat stated that both actions are critical for protecting citizens, securing state revenue, and ensuring long-term stability in the province.
The first meeting, attended by officials from Home, Petroleum, Customs, and the Explosives Department, reviewed the alarming spread of illegal fuel pumps and the sale of smuggled petroleum products. Authorities warned that unregulated fuel storage poses severe fire and safety hazards and results in massive revenue losses for the national exchequer.
The meeting directed all Deputy and Assistant Commissioners to immediately begin a zero-tolerance operation against illegal pumps, unregistered sale points, and unsafe storage depots. District administrations have been ordered to submit daily progress reports to the Balochistan Information Security Agency (BISA), with a clear mandate that no influential group will be spared.
In a separate, parallel session, Shafqaat chaired a detailed review of the draft rules for the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act 2025. Senior officials from police, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), prosecution, law, and security agencies conducted a clause-by-clause examination. The proposed amendments aim to modernize investigative procedures, strengthen prosecution, improve inter-agency intelligence coordination, and update operational mechanisms to combat evolving security threats.
Relevant departments were instructed to submit written recommendations to finalize the draft for formal approval. Participants affirmed that bolstered legislation and enhanced institutional coordination are vital for a more effective counter-terrorism framework in Balochistan.
Meanwhile Tuberculosis (TB) cases are rising in Balochistan, with prisons emerging as major hotspots. Officials reported 16,000 to 18,000 cases across the province this year.
Dr. Sher Afghan Raisani, Provincial Manager of the TB Control Programme, disclosed the figures at a press conference on Tuesday. He was joined by Quetta District Jail Superintendent SSP Hamidullah Pechi, Dr. Irfan, and other health experts.
Dr. Raisani said comprehensive health screenings were conducted for 3,000 prisoners across 12 prisons. The initiative also targets prison staff and security personnel.
He added that free TB diagnosis and treatment continue at 250 centers provincewide. In 20 districts, 650 doctors in government and private hospitals provide TB services. More than 100 modern FM microscopes and 30 AI-based digital X-ray machines have been deployed to modernize screening. Treatment centers for drug-resistant TB have increased from three to eleven.
