By Staff Reporter
QUETTA: The security forces killed four militants in Balochistan on Tuesday, pressing a campaign against the Indian-backed terrorism in the volatile province.
The raid, in the rugged hills around Kalat district, follows a similar intelligence-based operation days earlier that left four other militants dead.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media arm of Pakistan’s military, said the latest operation took place on Monday in the rugged areas surrounding Kalat district. It followed a successful raid Saturday that killed four terrorists linked to Fitna al-Hindustan, a group the government describes as an Indian proxy.
“During the conduct of the operation, four more terrorists of Fitna al-Hindustan were hunted down and successfully neutralized,” the ISPR said in a statement. Security forces also dismantled a terrorist hideout, recovering a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives.
The military underscored its resolve to counter Indian-sponsored destabilization efforts. “Security forces remain determined to thwart attempts by Indian proxies at sabotaging peace, stability, and progress of Balochistan,” the ISPR added.
In May, Pakistani authorities began using the term Fitna al-Hindustan, loosely translated as “Chaos of India”, to designate terrorist organizations in Balochistan, alleging they operate under India’s direction to undermine the region.
The operation drew swift praise from Pakistan’s top leadership. President Asif Ali Zardari lauded the security forces for their courage and skill in taking down the militants. “The terrorists want to sabotage the peace and stability in the country, which can never be allowed as the nation is united and the scourge of terrorism will be defeated at all costs,” he said, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan. He vowed that operations would continue until terrorism is eradicated.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed the sentiment, condemning the militants’ attacks on civilians and infrastructure. “The elements of Fitna al-Hindustan, who are enemies of the country’s solidarity, will be rooted out,” he said in a statement from his office. Sharif emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to wiping out terrorism nationwide.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also hailed the security forces’ professionalism, framing the operation as a blow to foreign-backed insurgents. “The exemplary end of Indian-sponsored terrorists is a clear message that there will be no place for this menace to hide in Pakistan,” he said. “We will eliminate every single terrorist of the Indian menace from Pakistan.”
The back-to-back operations come as Balochistan grapples with a worsening security crisis. Militants, long engaged in a simmering insurgency against the state, have intensified their campaign in recent months. Last week, an attack on a passenger bus in Kalat left three dead and seven injured, underscoring the growing threat to civilians. Security forces have also faced a spike in ambushes and bombings, straining resources in the restive province. Pakistan has repeatedly pointed the finger at India for fueling the violence. In April, ISPR Director General Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry accused New Delhi of orchestrating attacks through its “assets” in the region, presenting what he called “irrefutable evidence” of Indian state-sponsored terrorism directed by military personnel.
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