Pakistani security forces have killed more than 71 terrorists across Balochistan in a sweeping 96-hour operation that officials say has dealt a crushing blow to India-backed militant networks operating from Afghan soil.
The military’s media wing announced Sunday that the large-scale offensive, centered on Operation Shaban in the Ziarat and Quetta districts, has dismantled multiple terrorist hideouts and recovered significant quantities of weapons, ammunition, and explosives since operations began on September 21.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), intelligence agencies identified numerous militant safe houses in the Shaban area of Quetta district that posed direct threats to local communities. The initial phase of Operation Shaban resulted in 33 militants killed during intense firefights, with operations intensifying over the following 72 hours to eliminate an additional 23 terrorists.
Separate intelligence-driven strikes in Nushki district on September 25 killed 11 more militants, while another operation in Mand eliminated six additional targets. Security forces say they have cleared vast stretches of territory and relieved local populations of immediate militant threats, though clearance operations continue.
The military statement directly accused India of sponsoring what it termed “Fitna al-Khawarij” and “Fitna al-Hindustan” terrorist groups—references to banned organizations including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and India-backed separatist outfits operating in Balochistan. ISPR further alleged that the Afghan Taliban regime’s territory continues to serve as a staging ground for these India-sponsored attacks.
Islamabad has repeatedly pressed Kabul to prevent Afghan soil from being used to launch cross-border attacks, particularly since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Pakistani officials maintain that Afghan authorities have failed to take meaningful action against groups responsible for killing Pakistani security personnel and civilians.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both praised the security forces’ professionalism and resolve, vowing that counter-terrorism operations would continue until foreign-sponsored terrorism is completely eliminated from Pakistani territory.
The offensive comes amid a documented surge in terrorist incidents across Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. International monitoring data shows attacks in Pakistan have increased nearly fourfold since 2022, raising urgent questions about border security and regional militant networks.
The operation unfolds under the government’s “Azm-e-Istehkam” counter-terrorism framework, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan. Military officials emphasized that security forces remain fully committed to rooting out what they describe as foreign-sponsored terrorism threatening Pakistan’s peace and stability.
As clearance operations continue across Balochistan’s remote districts, the scale of the offensive underscores the persistent security challenges facing Pakistan and the complex regional dynamics involving India, Afghanistan, and militant groups operating across porous borders.
