102 terrorists killed as Balochistan operations enter seventh day: Security Sources
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces have killed 102 militants in a series of counterterrorism operations across Balochistan since July 5, including 64 during the ongoing Operation Shaban, as military, Frontier Corps (FC) and police units intensified coordinated ground and aerial operations against militant hideouts, security sources said on Saturday.
According to security officials, the week-long campaign entered its seventh day with fresh operations resulting in the deaths of seven more militants during Operation Shaban, bringing the total number of militants killed in the operation to 64. Earlier on Saturday, security sources had reported the deaths of nine militants, raising the tally to 52. Subsequent engagements led to the killing of another five militants before the latest operation increased the overall count.
Security sources said the operation is being carried out jointly by the Pakistan Army, FC Balochistan and the Balochistan Police in several areas of the province, targeting militant networks believed to be involved in recent attacks on civilians and security personnel.
In a separate intelligence-based operation conducted near the N-25 crossing, security forces killed two suspected militants belonging to what Pakistani authorities describe as Fitna al-Hindustan, the official term used by Islamabad for the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Officials said a cache of weapons and other equipment was recovered from the militants, including firearms, hand grenades, a motorcycle, mobile phones and flags of the banned organization.
Security sources said that a total of 102 militants affiliated with Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan have been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations conducted across Balochistan since July 5.
Pakistani authorities use the term Fitna al-Khawarij to refer to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), describing it as a group responsible for attacks on civilians, security personnel and state institutions. The government officially refers to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army as Fitna al-Hindustan, alleging that the group receives foreign support to carry out attacks aimed at destabilizing Pakistan.
Operation Shaban was launched following the terrorist attack on the Mangi Dam police station in Ziarat district. The operation forms part of a broader counterterrorism campaign initiated after a series of coordinated militant attacks targeted police, civilians and security forces at multiple locations across Balochistan.
Security officials said the operation is continuing in the province’s rugged mountainous regions, where both ground forces and aerial assets are being employed to locate and eliminate militant hideouts. They added that the operation would continue until all militants operating in the affected areas are neutralized.
Earlier on Saturday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the Pakistan Army, FC Balochistan and police for the progress achieved during Operation Shaban.
In a statement, Naqvi said the country’s security forces had successfully thwarted the designs of terrorist groups and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completely eliminating terrorism. He said the sacrifices made by the armed forces and law enforcement agencies in restoring peace to Balochistan would be remembered as a significant chapter in the country’s history, adding that those seeking to undermine peace would find no safe haven.
Separately, the Balochistan government announced compensation and welfare measures for the families of police personnel who were martyred in the terrorist attack on the Mangi Dam police station.
According to official orders issued by the Inspector General of Police, Balochistan, compensation packages have been approved for the families of four martyred police personnel. Each family will receive Rs10 million in financial assistance along with compensation for residential plots under the provincial government’s policy, bringing the total value of the compensation package to approximately Rs45.5 million.
Provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind said the compensation would be delivered directly to the families to provide immediate financial relief. He added that the provincial government would also bear the educational expenses of the children of the martyred police personnel.
Rind said no financial assistance could compensate for the loss of a loved one, but the government remained committed to supporting the families of those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
The latest operational update came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti commended the Pakistan Army, FC Balochistan and provincial police for the progress made in Operation Shaban and reaffirmed the state’s resolve to continue counterterrorism operations until militant networks are dismantled.
