Balochistan | Pakistan

QUETTA: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday reiterated the federal government’s resolve to address Balochistan’s economic and development-related concerns through the constitutional framework. He made these remarks during a meeting with a parliamentary delegation of the National Party (NP) headed by its president, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch. During the meeting, Dar emphasised that the federal government rem­ains committed to supporting Balochistan in tackling its diverse challenges and fulfilling the aspirations of its people for sustainable economic growth, progress, and prosperity. Dr Baloch appreciated the deputy prime minister’s engagement and affirmed that the National Party is prepared to cooperate with all stakeholders to promote the welfare and development of the people of Balochistan. He also stated that the insurgent groups active in the province do not enjoy public backing or legitimacy among the people of Balochistan. He briefed Dar on the political and security situation following the recent tra...

Agree to increase water supplies to Balochistan

QUETTA: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said dialogue is the only sustainable solution to Balochistan’s political issues, reaffirming that the party believes in meaningful political engagement with all parties, whether in government or in the opposition. Mr Bhutto-Zardari said lasting peace in Balochistan could only be achieved through political dialogue. “The PPP has always believed in constructive eng­agement with all political forces, regardless of whether they are in government or the opposition,” he said. The PPP chairman also reaffirmed the party’s unwavering stance against terrorism, stating that his party had maintained a clear and consistent position against terrorism and would continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the state institutions and the people in the fight against militancy. He made these remarks during a meeting with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti at Zardari House in Islamabad on Saturday. CM Sarfraz Bugti says multiparty conference to be convened soon According to t...

Security forces on Thursday killed three more terrorists in Balochistan as Operation Shaban continued in the province, state-run Radio Pakistan reported, citing security sources. The latest casualties have taken the total tally of terrorists killed during the operation to 91. State media further reported that 129 terrorists had been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations in the province since July 5. “Security sources say Operation Shaban will continue in Balochistan until the last terrorist is eliminated,” Radio Pakistan reported. The operation was launched after the martyrdom of 27 police personnel in an attack by terrorists at a police post in the Mangi dam area. Nine police personnel were killed on the spot, while 18 others were killed by the terrorists after being kidnapped. Troops from the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and police are participating in the joint operation. Balochistan has been facing terrorism for a long time, with a monthly security assessment released by...

State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry on Wednesday said authorities were stepping up security around the Saindak copper and gold mine in Balochistan after supply routes were disrupted in the region by terrorists, and the mine’s operator denied a report that the project could be forced to shut down. The development comes as kinetic operations in the province are being carried out under Operation Shaban, a high-intensity counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaign launched by Pakistan’s security forces following multiple high-casualty and high-profile terrorist attacks in Balochistan. Chaudhry said Islamabad had received the mine operator’s security concerns in early July and ordered agencies to increase deployment around its installations, personnel and cargo. “We have directed the provincial authorities and all concerned security agencies to beef up deployment for all of their installations, personnel, logistics and transportation,” Chaudhry told Reuters. “It is our priority to safeguard all project...

Three more terrorists have been killed as security forces and law enforcers continue to carry out Operation Shaban in Balochistan jointly, state media reported on Wednesday, citing security sources. According to state-run Pakistan TV, the latest casualties have taken the total tally of terrorists killed during the operation to 88. It further reported that 126 terrorists had been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations in the province since July 5. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi commended the security forces after the latest operations and said the ongoing campaign against terrorist elements was progressing successfully, according to state-run APP. Operation Shaban was launched in retaliation for a deadly attack on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station in Ziarat. During that assault, armed attackers kidnapped and killed 27 police officers. Troops from the army, Frontier Corps and police are participating in the joint operation. Latest updates reported by Pakistan TV said sec...

Another four terrorists have been killed during the ongoing Operation Shaban in Balochistan, following which the total number of terrorists killed in the operation has reached 83, state-owned Pakistan TV reported on Tuesday, citing security sources. The ongoing sweep was launched in retaliation for a deadly attack on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station in Ziarat. During that assault, armed attackers kidnapped and killed 27 police officers. Troops from the army, Frontier Corps, police and the Anti-Terrorism Force are participating in the joint operation. In a post on the social media platform X, the broadcaster said, “Security sources say four more khawarij terrorists were killed in ongoing air and ground operations, taking the total number of terrorists killed in Operation Shaban to 83.” “Since July 5, a total of 121 khawarij terrorists have been eliminated in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations,” it said, adding that the operation would continue “until the last terrorist is ne...

BALOCHISTAN bled again this past week — for the rest of the country. In reality, it is the part of the homeland that has rarely ever stopped bleeding over the past 20 years. But for those of us who live a long way from the province, we only become aware of the festering wound when the sepsis sets in. And that is what happened last week with the incidents in Quetta and Ziarat. The manner in which the events unfolded in Ziarat was heart-breaking and by the time the attack took place in Lasbela, the death toll was far too horrific to even comprehend. But there is a greater tragedy. And that is the inability of those in power to approach the crisis in Balochistan with any empathy and political will to heal. The causes of the ailment have been discussed at length — the alienation of the people; the rise of the middle class youth and the roots of its anger; the absence of a genuine political process. It is a political problem that needs a political solution, along with counter-insurgency operations. The people need...

Security forces have killed another eight terrorists during the ongoing Operation Shaban in Balochistan, following which the total number of terrorists killed in the operation reached 79, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Monday, citing security sources. Operation Shaban is being jointly carried out across the province by the army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police following the terrorist July 7 attack in the Mangi Dam area, in which 27 police personnel were martyred. Security forces are targeting the terrorists through both aerial and ground operations, the Radio Pakistan report said. It further quoted security sources as saying that a total of 117 terrorists had been killed during Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations in Balochistan since July 5. Separately, a statement shared on the interior ministry’s X account said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi commended the army and Balochistan FC and police for killing five more terrorists. “He commended the professional capabili...

Security forces have killed another five terrorists during the ongoing Operation Shaban in Balochistan, following which the total number of terrorists killed in the operation reached 76, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Monday, citing security sources. Operation Shaban is being jointly carried out across the province by the army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police following the terrorist July 7 attack in the Mangi Dam area, in which 27 police personnel were martyred. Security forces are targeting the terrorists through both aerial and ground operations, the Radio Pakistan report said. It further quoted security sources as saying that a total of 114 terrorists had been killed during Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations in Balochistan since July 5. Separately, a statement shared on the interior ministry’s X account said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi commended the army and Balochistan FC and police for killing five more terrorists. “He commended the professional capabilit...

Total number of terrorists killed across Balochistan since July 5 rises to 114

Security forces killed another seven terrorists during the ongoing Operation Shaban in Balochistan, following which the total number of terrorists killed in the operation reached 71, according to state-run Radio Pakistan. Operation Shaban is being jointly carried out across the province by the army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police following the terrorist July 7 attack in the Mangi Dam area, in which 27 police personnel were martyred. Citing security sources, Radio Pakistan said a total of 109 “khawarij terrorists” have been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations in Balochistan since July 5. The outlet had earlier reported that three terrorists were killed, and later said another four were eliminated in the Saran Tangi area. Security sources said a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the possession of the killed terrorists. The recovered weapons include M4 rifles, submachine guns, rocket launchers, mobile phones, and other equipment. Security sources reaffirm...

Security forces killed another three terrorists during the ongoing Operation Shaban in Balochistan, following which the total number of terrorists killed in the operation reached 67, according to state broadcaster PTV News. The operation is being jointly carried out by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police following the terrorist attack in the Mangi Dam area, in which several cops were martyred on July 7. PTV News reported that air and ground operations against Fitna-al-Khawarij — a term the state uses for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan — were ongoing. The state broadcaster reported that the total number of terrorists killed during Operation Shahban and other intelligence-based operations carried out since July 5 in Balochistan had reached 105. Security sources said on Friday that security forces, including the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police, had been conducting a joint operation in Quetta district’s Shaban area since July 5 against terrorists involved in the killing of 27 ...

THE latest surge of violence in Balochistan has once again compelled Pakistan’s civil and military leadership to reaffirm its resolve to eliminate terrorism. During a high-level visit to Quetta following a series of deadly attacks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, during a provincial apex committee meeting, declared that the country’s political and military leadership had reached a “mutual and singular decision” to eradicate terrorism. While the apex committee was meeting in Quetta to discuss the implementation of the National Action Plan, another, less visible process involving the local community was unfolding only a short distance away. In the Hanna Urak area, a jirga of local elders was engaged in direct negotiations with an armed group that had abducted several citizens. Apparently, the elders secured the hostages’ release without any visible involvement of the district administration or provincial government. The abductors reportedly claimed affiliation with the banned TTP, al...

Citing security sources, state media reported on Saturday that 23 more terrorists had been killed in ongoing operations in Balochistan, taking the overall tally since July 5 to 102. 102 12 terrorists belonging to Fitna al Khawarij were killed by security forces in the latest round of operations, state media reported, quoting security forces. Security forces also killed two terrorists linked to Fitna al Hindustan during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) near the N-25 crossing in in the province, Radio Pakistan reported. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, while Fitna al Hindustan is a term designated by the state for terrorist organisations in Balo­chistan. The security sources added that security personnel recovered weapons, hand grenades, a motorcycle, mobile phones, flags of a banned outfit and other equipment from the two men. The kinetic actions in the province are being carried out under Operation Shaban, a high-intensity count...

The Balochistan government has announced several measures to restructure administrative units in the province, including splitting Quetta district into East Quetta and West Quetta, it emerged on Saturday. According to a notification issued by the Balochistan government’s Revenue Department on July 8, new divisions, districts, sub-divisions, tehsils and sub-tehsils have been created, while the boundaries of existing divisions and districts have also been realigned. As a result, the number of divisions in Balochistan now stands at 11, and the number of districts has risen to 41. One of the major decisions was the bifurcation of Quetta district into East Quetta and West Quetta along the railway line. East Quetta now comprises the Saddar, City and Sariab sub-divisions, while West Quetta consists of Kuchlak and the newly created Brewery and Panjpai sub-divisions. Brewery tehsil has also been introduced. Mastung district has been detached from Kalat division and included in Quetta division, which now has three dist...

Citing security sources, state-run Pakistan TV reported on Saturday that nine more terrorists had been killed in the ongoing operation in Balochistan, taking the overall tally since July 5 to 88. “Operation Shaban continues across Balochistan as the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police intensify coordinated air and ground operations against terrorist hideouts,” it said on the social media platform X. “According to security sources, nine terrorists were killed in the latest action, taking the total eliminated under Operation Shaban to 52 and the overall tally since July 5, including intelligence-based operations, to 88,” it said. “Security sources say the operation will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated,” it added. Security sources said on Friday that security forces, including the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police, had been conducting a joint operation in Quetta district’s Shaban area since July 5 against terrorists involved in the killing of 27 police personnel during an attack on a ...

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Friday stated that a total of 75 terrorists had been killed since July 5 in various intelligence-based operations in the province. In a post on social media platform X, CM Bugti said: “Operation Shaban is progressing successfully following the terrorist attack on Mangi Dam Police Station.” He elaborated that 39 terrorists had been killed in Operation Shaban as a result of joint ground and air operations by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police in rugged mountainous areas, while a total of 75 terrorists had been killed in various intelligence-based operations since July 5. Bugti further said that a terrorist attack on Zehri Police Station in the Kachhar area of Balochistan had also been foiled today. “The writ of the state will be maintained in Balochistan at any cost; terrorists cannot escape their fate,” he declared. A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the country’s civil and military leadership had taken a “mutual and singular deci...

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Friday stated that a total of 75 terrorists had been killed since July 5 in various intelligence-based operations in the province. In a post on social media platform X, CM Bugti said: “Operation Shaban is progressing successfully following the terrorist attack on Mangi Dam Police Station.” He elaborated that 39 terrorists had been killed in Operation Shaban as a result of joint ground and air operations by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police in rugged mountainous areas, while a total of 75 terrorists had been killed in various intelligence-based operations since July 5. Bugti further said that a terrorist attack on Zehri Police Station in the Kachhar area of Balochistan had also been foiled today. “The writ of the state will be maintained in Balochistan at any cost; terrorists cannot escape their fate,” he declared. A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the country’s civil and military leadership had taken a “mutual and singular deci...

THE security situation in Balochistan remains alarming, with a recent uptick in terrorist violence resulting in a large number of casualties amongst security forces. The seriousness of the situation can be gauged from the fact that the country’s top civilian and military leaders — led by the prime minister and chief of defence forces — were in Quetta yesterday to take stock of matters. On Tuesday, the ISPR chief, while addressing the media, discussed law and order issues in the province, mentioning that a large number of security personnel and civilians had lost their lives in separate attacks since July 5. The martyred included four civilians in Hanna Urak, at least 27 policemen in Ziarat, and 11 soldiers in Bela-Winder. A number of terrorists were also eliminated in retaliatory operations. The military says the banned TTP was responsible for the Ziarat outrage while the proscribed BLA was behind the Bela ambush. The ISPR chief, while indicating the state would give no quarter to terrorists, also pointed out...