Introductory Meeting of IG FC South Major General Bilal Sarfraz Khan with Tribal Elders in Dalbandin
Report by Farooq Rind
Dalbandin: IG FC South Major General Bilal Sarfraz Khan held an introductory meeting with tribal elders in Dalbandin, where he discussed the law and order situation in District Chagai and highlighted the efforts of FC South.
He emphasized that District Chagai is a peaceful district, and the people of the area have always cooperated with the Pakistan Army.
During the meeting, Major General Bilal Sarfraz Khan stated that FC South is not only focused on maintaining security in the region but also actively supporting development in various sectors, including health, education, and sports.
He also addressed the issue of smuggling across the Pakistan-Afghanistan and Pakistan-Iran borders, stating that this should not be considered “border trade” as it is detrimental to the national economy.
Government’s Strict Policies Against Smuggling
He further mentioned that the government has directed the confiscation of vehicles involved in smuggling, and no leniency will be shown in this regard. “Smuggling on Pakistan’s borders is a serious issue, which harms the national economy.
In District Chagai, smuggling of oil is a major problem, where the local fuel consumption is 2 million liters, but 24 million liters are smuggled out. This oil is smuggled to Karachi, Lahore, and other major cities,” he stated.
Technical Issues and Border Trade
Major General Bilal Sarfraz Khan acknowledged some issues with the token system introduced by the government for the local people.
“Instead of distributing tokens to deserving individuals, some families received up to 50 tokens, which has led to injustice for the rightful claimants,” he said. He also mentioned that the government had decided to confiscate vehicles involved in smuggling from October 4 to prevent large traders from exploiting the illegal trade.
Pakistan-Iran Relations and Border Security
He also discussed the closure of the Rajay Point by Iran and stated that Iran has been allowing oil smuggling, despite international sanctions.
“Once the global sanctions are lifted, not a single liter of oil will be allowed to cross from Iran into Pakistan,” he added.
Educational Development and Employment Opportunities
Major General Bilal Sarfraz Khan encouraged the people of the region to focus on education to ensure that their children can attain higher education and contribute to the area’s development.
He stated that border trade is not a sustainable source of income and urged people to understand that relying on it is not a long-term solution.
Border Trade and Local Development
IG FC South also talked about employment opportunities, mentioning that mega projects in District Chagai are providing jobs to the local people. Additionally, FC is recruiting 200 unemployed youth, but no applications have been received so far.
Tribal Elders’ Concerns and Suggestions
During the meeting, former provincial minister Sakhy Mir Amanullah Khan Notizi, District Chairman Chagai Mir Abdul Wadood Khan Sanjrani, Haji Arz Muhammad Baloch, Malik Karim Dad Muhammad Hasni, Sardar Abdul Ghiyas Durani, Jamil Jan Sanjrani, and other tribal elders requested IG FC South to show leniency towards the border population, as their livelihood is directly linked to border trade.
They also asked for the release of vehicles belonging to poor people that were seized on suspicion of smuggling.
Government’s Actions and FC’s Support
In response, Major General Bilal Sarfraz Khan reiterated that the government has directed the confiscation of vehicles involved in smuggling. However, he emphasized that people should refrain from smuggling, as it is not a permanent source of income.
Appreciation from Tribal Elders
The meeting was also attended by Hindu Panchayat leaders Shol Das, Nand Lal, Manish Singh, and other tribal elders. They expressed their gratitude towards IG FC South and Brigadier Sajad Ali, acknowledging the consistent support of FC South towards the people of the district.
Under the leadership of Major General Bilal Sarfraz Khan and Brigadier Sajad Ali, the efforts of FC South are making significant progress in addressing the issues faced by the people of the region, and further steps are expected to be taken for the development of the area in the future.
