Naqvi to visit KP, Balochistan over business security concerns

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has announced plans to visit Peshawar and Quetta to engage directly with business

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has announced plans to visit Peshawar and Quetta to engage directly with business leaders and provincial authorities as the government steps up efforts to address security challenges affecting trade and investment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The announcement came during a meeting with a delegation of traders, industrialists, and representatives of chambers of commerce from both provinces. The delegation briefed the minister on the law and order situation and highlighted the security issues that continue to disrupt commercial and industrial activities.

Naqvi said the government recognizes the difficulties faced by the business community and is committed to creating a safer environment for investment and economic growth. He assured participants that all available resources would be utilized to improve security and resolve issues affecting businesses.

The interior minister said his upcoming visits to Peshawar and Quetta would include meetings with senior provincial officials, law enforcement agencies, and business representatives to develop practical and long-term solutions to security concerns.

He emphasized that a secure business environment is essential for economic stability, adding that the success of traders and industrialists is closely linked to the country’s overall development.

“The progress of the business community is the progress of Pakistan,” Naqvi said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and protecting commercial activities.

The meeting followed a high-level discussion held a day earlier between Naqvi and President Asif Ali Zardari, during which they reviewed the country’s overall security situation, with particular focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Pakistan has witnessed a rise in militant violence in recent months, particularly in the two provinces. Security forces have intensified intelligence-based operations to counter militant groups responsible for attacks on civilians, security personnel, and public infrastructure.

The deteriorating security environment has also affected workers and businesses. Earlier this week, six labourers who had been abducted in Balochistan’s Kech district were found dead, while several other attacks in recent weeks targeted police officers, judges, transport routes, and public facilities.

The government believes improving security is essential not only for protecting citizens but also for restoring investor confidence and advancing major regional connectivity and infrastructure projects that have been affected by instability.