PM Shehbaz Calls for ‘Grand Dialogue' to End Balochistan Vio

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif calls for a 'grand dialogue' to resolve Balochistan's conflict, welcomes militants willing to abandon violence, and says mineral wealth belongs to locals. He also links security with development via the Rs415b N-25 project. Premier Shehbaz says those willing to abandon violence should be welcomed back into national mainstream Declares mineral wealth belongs to Baloch people, rejects violence as answer to grievances Stresses Rs415b N-25 project to link security with development, pledging Rs200b allocation Says Gwadar, solarisation and equitable resource-sharing placed at heart of Balochistan strategy ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for a 'grand dialogue' to address Balochistan's long-running conflict, saying people involved in the insurgency who were willing to abandon violence should be welcomed back into the national mainstream. Addressing a question-and-answer session with participants of the Balochistan National Workshop, the prime minister said the country should confront its longstanding differences through dialogue and mutual consultation. 'Whatever has happened, has happened,' PM Shehbaz said. 'Even today, we should face these issues, and have a grand dialogue.' وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف نے آج اسلام آباد میں منعقدہ بلوچستان نیشنل ورکشاپ میں شرکت کی جس میں وزیر اعلیٰ بلوچستان میر سرفراز بگٹی، وفاقی وزراء، ارکان اسمبلی، بلوچستان کی مختلف سیاسی جماعتوں کے رہنماؤں اور عمائدین نے شرکت کی۔ وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف نے اپنے خطاب کے دوران کہا… pic.twitter.com/7zHoNnqAkV — Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) August 21, 2026 He said that if 'our sons and daughters' in Balochistan were ready to 'correct their path', they should be welcomed, stressing that everyone in the country should sit together for a frank discussion of its differences. The call for dialogue comes as Balochistan faces a sharp escalation in militant violence. At least 372 people were killed in militant attacks and security operations in the province in July, more than triple the previous month's toll, according to the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif giving reponses to the participant's questions at the Balochistan National Workshop in Islamabad on 21 August 2026. pic.twitter.com/xFCoAuvxxh — Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) August 21, 2026 The prime minister acknowledged the centrality of the resource dispute, saying there should be 'no doubt' that Balochistan's mineral wealth belonged to its people. However, he said, exploiting the resources required capital, expertise and investment. He said disagreements over resources should be resolved through inter-provincial consultation and fair distribution rather than violence. PM Shehbaz strongly condemned attacks on civilians and labourers from other parts of Pakistan, particularly incidents in which travellers and workers had been targeted because of their ethnicity. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif addresses the Balochistan National Workshop in Islamabad on 21 August 2026. pic.twitter.com/TT1dJCgLOD — Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) August 21, 2026 'Whatever area a worker came from, he was there earning a living and building Balochistan,' he said. The prime minister said Balochistan's vast geographical area and the long distances between its population centres presented genuine challenges in providing roads, education, healthcare and other facilities, making a fair distribution of available resources essential. بلوچستان نیشنل ورکشاپ کے موقع پر شرکاء کے سوال و جواب کی نشست میں بلوچستان میں صحت، گیس کی فراہمی اور زراعت سے متعلق اہم مسائل وزیراعظم کے سامنے رکھے گئے۔ وزیراعلیٰ بلوچستان نے بتایا کہ صوبے میں امراضِ قلب کے علاج کے لیے دو بہترین ہسپتال مؤثر طور پر کام کر رہے ہیں۔ انہوں نے سولر… pic.twitter.com/VVLY2WPNtt — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 21, 2026 Recalling Balochistan's historic decision to join Pakistan, PM Shehbaz said the province's accession was based on conviction and voluntary choice. He added that the historical record also offered lessons about resolving differences through mutual consultation and dialogue. 'It is never too late,' he said, calling for a grand, frank and meaningful dialogue in which all legitimate concerns could be brought to the table. "بلوچستان نیشنل ورکشاپ کے موقع پر شرکاء کے سوال و جواب کی نشست میں وزیراعظم کا کہنا تھا کہ ہماری خواہش اور ہدف، پورے پاکستان، خصوصاً بلوچستان کے چپے چپے میں امن، ترقی اور خوشحالی کا فروغ ہے۔ وزیراعظم نے عہد کیا کہ انسانی حد تک بلوچستان کی ترقی اور خوشحالی کے لیے وسائل فراہم کیے… pic.twitter.com/u3lMi0tZ8O — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 21, 2026 The prime minister categorically rejected violence and the targeting of innocent people in the name of grievances, stressing that workers, teachers, engineers and others contributing to Balochistan's development could not be made victims of terrorism. Security, development must move together PM Shehbaz said security and development could not be separated, pointing to the Rs415 billion Karachi-Chaman N-25 highway project, a route notorious for deadly traffic accidents and increasingly affected by militant violence. Responding to the opposition leader in the Balochistan Assembly, he said Rs100 billion had been provided for the project and pledged another Rs100 billion if the first allocation was utilised within six months. " 2022 کے بدترین سیلاب کے دوران صوبائی حکومت اور افواجِ پاکستان کے ساتھ مل کر وفاقی حکومت نے بلوچستان کے چپے چپے میں امدادی کارروائیاں کیں اور پانی سمندر تک پہنچنے اور متاثرین کو خوراک، کمبل، خیمے اور دیگر امداد ملنے تک کام جاری رکھا۔ ترقی، خوشحالی اور بنیادی ڈھانچے کے تمام… pic.twitter.com/AZzywLUO9a — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 21, 2026 He said the decision had been taken after consultation with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, adding that the federal government had retained the provincial share from the reduction in petroleum prices to finance the project. The prime minister said work on the project had already commenced but warned that terrorism remained a major impediment to infrastructure development. "خونی سڑک کو امن کی سڑک میں تبدیل کرنے کے لیے 100 ارب روپے فراہم کیے جا چکے ہیں اور مزید فنڈز بھی مہیا کیے جائیں گے، لیکن دہشت گردی کے باعث ترقیاتی منصوبوں پر عملدرآمد ممکن نہیں۔ بلوچستان کے نو اضلاع میں دانش اسکولز قائم کیے جا رہے ہیں، جہاں جدید سہولیات اور معیاری تعلیم فراہم کی… pic.twitter.com/EWQdGqLchO — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 21, 2026 'If Rs200 billion or Rs300 billion are provided, but terrorists continue killing people day and night, not even an inch of road can be constructed,' he said, stressing that development and security must move forward together. PM Shehbaz said the state regarded all four provinces as equal parts of one country and had a responsibility to provide citizens with security, education, healthcare and opportunities for prosperity. He said Balochistan's mineral wealth could not remain merely a figure on paper and called for collective efforts to bring its resources to the surface and develop them for the benefit of the people. Gwadar central to Balochistan's development The prime minister also highlighted the strategic importance of Gwadar Port, saying its deep draft enabled it to accommodate vessels carrying up to 100,000 tonnes. "گوادر پورٹ اس پورے خطے کی ایک شاندار بندرگاہ ہے۔ اس کا ڈرافٹ اتنا گہرا ہے کہ ایک لاکھ ٹن کا جہاز یہاں آ سکتا ہے۔ میں نے بطور وزیراعظم احکامات دیے کہ وفاقی حکومت کا سرکاری درآمدی سامان، چاہے وہ گندم ہو یا مشینری، حتیٰ کہ اس کا 60 فیصد حصہ گوادر پورٹ سے درآمد کیا جائے، تاکہ اس… pic.twitter.com/UWBYPXDEOl — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 21, 2026 He recalled that the new airport at Gwadar had been gifted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and said he had taken steps during the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government to increase utilisation of Gwadar Port. He said he had directed that 60 per cent of the federal government's imports of essential goods and machinery should be routed through Gwadar Port. PM Shehbaz said his commitment to Gwadar and Balochistan stemmed from the belief that Pakistan's development could not be complete unless all four provinces progressed together. He said Balochistan's share in federal schemes had also been kept 10pc higher than its population-based share, describing the arrangement as an expression of national solidarity rather than a favour. Recalling the 2010 National Finance Commission (NFC) Award discussions, the prime minister said all four provinces had agreed to enhance Balochistan's share from the federation to address its financial difficulties. He recalled that, as chief minister of Punjab at the time, he had supported the arrangement, with Punjab contributing Rs11 billion annually. He added that the Punjab Assembly had also endorsed the decision with applause, reflecting the spirit of brotherhood among the provinces. PM Shehbaz said he had followed the same principle in education initiatives, including scholarships, laptops, Danish Schools and other programmes, under which Balochistan's participation had been kept 10pc higher than its population-based share. He said the federal and provincial governments should work together to unlock Balochistan's economic potential and ensure that its people became equal partners in the country's development. Rs70bn estimated for solarisation of tubewells The prime minister also highlighted the government's solarisation programme for agricultural tubewells in Balochistan. He said around Rs70 billion had been estimated for replacing approximately 20,000 to 22,000 tubewells with solar-powered systems, with the federal government contributing Rs40 billion. He said around 20,000 solar tubewells had already been installed, describing the project as an important step towards addressing farmers' energy and irrigation problems. PM Shehbaz stressed that the benefits of development projects could only be sustained if their security was ensured by all stakeholders. He urged Balochistan's political leadership, civil society and other stakeholders to take responsibility for protecting development projects and ensuring that resources allocated for public welfare were utilised effectively. The prime minister said Pakistan's future depended on collective efforts based on trust, honesty, hard work and national unity. He said the country could witness a major transformation in prosperity within a few years if people from all provinces worked together with determination and conviction. 'Pakistan's development will only be complete when all four provinces move forward together,' he said. Balochistan gets Rs200bn under national PSDP Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told the workshop that Balochistan had been allocated Rs200 billion under the national Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) out of a total Rs1 trillion, compared with Rs70 billion for Punjab. The National Workshop Balochistan, launched in 2017, brings together politicians, journalists, academics, business figures and civil society representatives for discussions on national policy, development and security, with a particular focus on the province. PM Shehbaz said Pakistan also needed to examine its own history, referring to conflicts in Balochistan in previous decades and questioning whether they could have been handled differently through dialogue. 'Whatever has happened, has happened,' he reiterated. 'It is never too late. Even today, we should sit together and have a frank dialogue.' He reiterated that Balochistan's natural resources primarily belonged to its people and should be developed in a manner that enabled them to benefit first, followed by the rest of the people of Pakistan.