By Five terrorists were killed and three others injured during intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out by security forces across multiple districts in Balochistan, according to a statement from the military’s media wing on Friday.
This development comes in the wake of a surge in violence, with dozens of militants from the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launching a series of coordinated attacks late Sunday night. The attacks, which targeted both security personnel and civilians, led to the deaths of at least 50 people, including 14 security personnel. The militants wreaked havoc across the province, storming police stations, destroying railway tracks, and setting fire to nearly three dozen vehicles. In retaliation, security forces neutralized 21 militants.
Among the victims were 23 individuals in Musakhail, primarily laborers from Punjab, who were forcibly removed from trucks and vans and shot dead after being identified.
Addressing the recent wave of violence, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated today, “The security forces are conducting extensive intelligence-based operations (IBOs) to hunt down the perpetrators of these heinous acts.”
The ISPR reported that during the night of August 29-30, three separate IBOs were conducted in the districts of Kech, Panjgur, and Zhob. As a result, five terrorists were eliminated, while three others were injured during intense firefights.
The military emphasized that these operations will continue until all those responsible for these atrocious acts, including their facilitators and supporters, are brought to justice.
“Pakistan’s security forces, with the full support of the nation, remain resolute in their determination to thwart any attempts to disrupt the peace, stability, and progress of Balochistan,” the military asserted.
In response to the attacks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared on Tuesday that there was “no room for any weakness” in the fight against terrorism. President Asif Ali Zardari also called for effective measures to ensure the “complete elimination” of terrorism in the region.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi pledged his full support to the Balochistan government in combating terrorism during his visit to the province on Tuesday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also visited the region for a day to assess the security situation firsthand.
