QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri on Thursday slammed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's controversial claim that the Baloch people had thanked him for his support of the "so-called insurgency" in the province.

"We condemn Narendra Modi's statement on Balochistan. No one in Balochistan supported his statement. There is no comparison between the struggle for liberation in India-held Kashmir and the so-called Balochistan insurgency," Zehri said.

Modi’s speech on August 15, India's Independence Day, sparked protests across Balochistan, with large numbers of tribesmen taking to the streets in protest in Dera Bugti, Khuzdar, Quetta, Chaman and other parts of the province.

"People of Balochistan, Gilgit and PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) have thanked me a lot in past few days, I am grateful to them," Modi had said.

Angry protesters set ablaze the Indian flag and chanted slogans against the Indian prime minister.

"We didn't ask the people to come out on the streets... They are on the streets themselves," Zehri said of the protests against Modi.

"The Kashmiris are agitating for their right to self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions, whereas in Balochistan there is only a small group working on the behest of the enemy country," Zehri said, referring to suspected Indian involvement in terror activities in the province.

"I swear on the blood of the dead, wherever these terrorists are, we will hunt them down."

"The Indian government fully supports the ongoing insurgency in Balochistan," Zehri alleged, adding "it is deeply involved in sponsoring elements like Brahamdagh Bugti, Haerbyar Marri, Zamran Marri and Allah Nazar," he said, alleging that Brahamdagh Bugti was "getting funds from Indians, that's why he supported Modi's statement".

Zehri's speech comes days after a video showing exiled Baloch leader Brahamdagh Bugti appreciating 'support' given to the Baloch people by the Indian prime minister began circulating on social media.

"Shame," Zehri said, encouraging his audience to join in with chants of "shame".

"100 per cent of Kashmiris are demanding their right to self-determination, whereas in Balochistan, not even one per cent of people support the insurgency," he said.

"We arrested [Indian spy] Kulbhushan Jadhav and his entire network," Zehri said, adding that the spy admitted during investigation that he had funded and trained lesser-privileged people and "turned them against Balochistan and Pakistan".