QUETTA (National Times)- Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has supported the creation of new provinces, saying it is not possible to govern the entire province effectively from Quetta.

Speaking to senior journalists via video link, Bugti said any new provinces should be created on administrative rather than linguistic grounds.

He said security forces were performing their duties under difficult circumstances in Balochistan, while state institutions were working in coordination in the fight against terrorism. He ruled out talks with those who take up arms against the state.

Bugti said terrorism was not the problem of any single province but an issue affecting the entire country, requiring joint efforts at the national level.

He said the fight against terrorism would continue until the last terrorist was eliminated in Balochistan, adding that the civil and military leadership was united and clear in its approach to combating terrorism.

Regarding political developments, Bugti said he was unaware of any agreement for a change of government after every two and a half years, adding that any decision about a change in government had to be taken by the political leadership.

He said he would continue serving the people for as long as he remained in office.

The chief minister claimed that corruption in Balochistan had declined compared with the past and that measures were being taken to ensure merit in educational institutions and all government departments.

He also said development projects in Balochistan had been completed in record time compared with previous years.

Bugti said around 1.1 million Afghan refugees, along with other foreign nationals, had been repatriated from Balochistan to their respective countries.

He added that the issue of missing persons was sometimes presented without the proper context.