QUETTA: Security forces killed five suspected militants and rescued 23 abducted people during an operation near Kalat in Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Sunday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), armed men belonging to a group the state refers to as Fitna-al-Hindustan established an illegal checkpoint along the N-25 Karachi–Chaman highway, also known as the Pakistan Expressway, during the night of September 18–19.
The ISPR alleged that the group intended to disrupt public movement, kidnap travellers for ransom, extort money and seize vehicles.
Security personnel responded to the incident, leading to an exchange of fire in which five militants were killed, the statement said. The military described the men as members of an India-sponsored proxy group.
The designation Fitna-al-Hindustan is used by Pakistani authorities for certain Balochistan-based militant groups to underscore what they allege is Indian involvement in terrorism and destabilisation in Pakistan.
Abducted Travellers and Vehicles Recovered
The military said security forces located a militant hideout near Kalat and recovered 23 abducted individuals.
Six trucks, three buses and two cars were also recovered during the operation, along with a substantial quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives.
According to the ISPR, the operation prevented the militants from carrying out their intended activities along the highway.
Search and clearance operations were continuing in surrounding areas to locate any remaining militants and safeguard nearby communities and major transport routes.
The military reaffirmed that counterterrorism operations would continue under Azm-i-Istehkam, the initiative approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan.
It said security forces and law enforcement agencies remained committed to combating what it described as foreign-sponsored and foreign-supported terrorism.
President and Prime Minister Commend Security Forces
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for the operation in Kalat.
In a statement reported by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the prime minister commended the prompt response and professional capabilities of the personnel involved.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to continuing counterterrorism operations under Azm-i-Istehkam until foreign-sponsored terrorism was eliminated from the country.
President Zardari also expressed support for the security forces, saying the nation stood alongside them in the fight against terrorism.
Militant Attacks Rise in Balochistan
Balochistan continues to face significant security challenges, prompting an increase in counterterrorism operations across the province.
According to a monthly assessment by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, the number of militant attacks in Balochistan rose by seven per cent, from 83 in July to 89 in August.
Security forces have reported several operations against militant groups in recent weeks.
During the night of August 31–September 1, militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked the Customs House at Ziarat Cross on the N-50 National Highway in Pishin district.
The ISPR said 10 militants were killed in the ensuing operation. Six people, including two officers, were also killed during the exchange of fire.
On August 31, security forces killed 11 militants in Chagai’s Nokcha area after armed men established an illegal checkpoint on the N-40 Quetta–Taftan highway, allegedly to extort money from travellers.
On September 2, an intelligence-based operation in Kalat resulted in the killing of 12 militants.
In subsequent operations in Kharan and Washuk districts, security forces reported killing another 11 militants and recovering 2.9 tonnes of explosives.
On September 4, the ISPR announced that 36 militants had been killed during multiple operations in Mastung, Quetta, Kalat and Sibi. The operations included preventing an attack on a police station in the Bhag area of Sibi.
More recently, seven militants were killed in an intelligence-based operation in Awaran’s Badrang area on Thursday, according to the military.
State media reported that another seven militants were killed in separate operations in Panjgur and Kachhi districts on Friday.
On Saturday, security forces reported killing 11 more militants in Panjgur and Chagai under Operation Raddul Fitna 3.
The latest operation near Kalat comes amid these continuing efforts to counter militant activity and secure Balochistan’s highways.
