By Staff Reporter
QUETTA: The security forces have killed 22 more militants in ongoing operations in the southwestern province of Balochistan, bringing the total number of insurgents eliminated over the past three days to 177, security officials said on Monday, as sweeps continued following a wave of coordinated separatist attacks.
The latest deaths occurred overnight during pursuit and sanitisation operations against what authorities described as “Fitna-al-Hindustan” terrorists, a term used by Pakistan to denote Balochistan-based militant groups allegedly backed by India. Security sources said forces, intelligence agencies and police were tightening the noose around terrorists and their facilitators, with reports of further casualties among militants.
The operations follow large-scale assaults by militants on Saturday across more than 10 cities and towns in the province, targeting security and government installations. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks, dubbing them operation “Herof,” or “black storm,” in one of the deadliest escalations in the restive region in recent years. At least 31 civilians and 17 security personnel were killed in the skirmishes, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed in a television appearance on Sunday. Earlier reports from the military’s media wing had put the toll at 15 security forces and 18 civilians martyred.
Suicide bombers, including female attackers, were involved in the assaults, which struck Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar, Pasni and Turbat during the early morning hours. Security forces engaged the terrorists in gun battles, after which cordon-and-sweep operations were launched to clear urban and rural areas.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Bugti expressed firm resolve to eliminate terrorists, rejecting reports that 1,000 to 2,000 attackers were involved and saying the maximum number was 200 to 250, most of whom had been chased out or killed. He described the province’s problem as non-political, requiring a military response, and estimated the total strength of terrorist networks, sympathisers and facilitators at between 4,000 and 5,000.
Bugti also accused hostile elements of attempting to destabilise Pakistan at India’s behest and questioned whether the BLA was a registered political party suitable for talks. He rejected linking the violence solely to deprivation, noting that terrorists merge into civilian populations, complicating operations. Authorities could have used heavy firepower like mortars but refrained to avoid civilian casualties, he said, adding that militants often blend in with locals and that the state did not want to become as brutal as them. Reports indicated Afghan nationals were operating alongside the terrorists, and all kinds of weapons were used in the attacks, Bugti added.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Sunday that peace had been established in Balochistan after the attacks and security forces were engaged in mopping-up operations. He earlier stated that more than 150 militants had been neutralised. Mobile internet services remained suspended across Quetta and other cities for a third day on Monday, causing difficulties for residents. Services were cut in Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan and elsewhere on Saturday for security reasons.
Balochistan’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hamza Shafqaat told local media the suspension would continue on Monday but was expected to be lifted on Tuesday. It was not the first such measure; in November, mobile internet was suspended in all 36 districts of the province for about a week.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area, has been plagued by a long-running separatist insurgency that has intensified in recent years. Militants frequently target security forces, government officials, infrastructure, foreigners and non-local workers, accusing the central government of exploiting the province’s vast mineral and hydrocarbon reserves while neglecting local communities. Islamabad rejects the allegations, saying it is investing in development and security.
The province is strategically vital due to its role in the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, including the deep-sea Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea, seen as key to regional trade and energy routes linking China, Central Asia and the Middle East.
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