Web Desk

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visited the Command and Staff College in Quetta on Monday, addressing military faculty and student officers, according to the Prime Minister&#39;s Office. PM Sharif praised the professionalism, operational readiness, and sacrifices of Pakistan&#39;s Armed Forces in defending the nation&#39;s sovereignty, the statement said. He paid tribute to fallen soldiers and acknowledged the military&#39;s commitment to the country&#39;s defense. The prime minister praised Pakistan&rsquo;s military victory led by Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during Marka-e-Haq. He stated that Pakistan&rsquo;s restraint response to India&#39;s unprovoked aggression was recognized by the international community. &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s mature, prudent and just stance was also acknowledged by the international community,&rdquo; he said. Pakistan&rsquo;s will &ldquo;defend [its] sovereignty and territorial integrity against any misadventure at all costs.&rdquo; PM Sharif stated how Operation Ghazab lil-Haq (a major counter-terrorism offensive launched by the Pakistan Armed Forces against the Afghan Taliban and its militant faction) was protecting the &ldquo;lives and property&rdquo; of Pakistani citizens against &ldquo;Afghan Taliban-based terrorist&rdquo; groups and dismantle their support networks. He also talked about Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;unwavering support&rdquo; for the people of &ldquo;Jammu and Kashmir&rdquo; and Palestine. The prime minister talked about the importance of military diplomacy and cooperation. He described Pakistan as a regional stabilizer contributing to peace and stability in the region, as the college hosts military students from allied nations, the statement said. Federal Defence, Interior, and Information Ministers and Balochistan&#39;s chief minister accompanied the prime minister. Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir had received PM Sharif upon arrival at the college. Terrorism cannot derail Pakistan&#39;s progress: CDF&nbsp; Meanwhile,&nbsp;Pakistan Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir warned that foreign-backed efforts to destabilize the country were doomed to fail, the military&rsquo;s media wing said.&nbsp;In an official statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that the Field Marshal while on a visit to Quetta, said Pakistan&#39;s trajectory cannot be derailed by &ldquo;propaganda, fake news, or externally-sponsored terrorism.&rdquo;&nbsp;The CDF told officers and soldiers stationed across Balochistan that those working against Pakistan through proxies will ultimately fall short, given &ldquo;the resilience&rdquo; of the state and the unity of its people.&nbsp;Earlier in the day, the field marshal addressed faculty and student officers at the Command and Staff College in Quetta, one of the military&#39;s premier training institutions. He praised the college&#39;s academic and professional standards, noting that its graduates have consistently performed at a high level throughout their careers.&nbsp;&ldquo;The nature of war is shifting fast,&rdquo; the field marshal told the gathering. He urged officers to stay ahead of emerging technologies and evolving battlefield demands.&nbsp;The CDF called for tighter coordination across all three military branches and greater readiness for multi-domain operations.&nbsp;Turning to the security situation in Balochistan, the field marshal stated that Pakistani armed forces were committed to wiping out terrorism &ldquo;in all its forms and manifestations.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said that &ldquo;lasting stability in the province hinges on governance, development,&rdquo; and a &ldquo;focus on the needs of ordinary citizens,&rdquo; and not security operations alone.&nbsp;CDF Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir also praised the provincial government&#39;s ongoing work toward those goals.

Security

PM Sharif told officers Pakistan's restrained response to India's aggression won international recognition and vowed to defend the nation's sovereignty at all costs while intensifying counter-terrorism operations against Afghan Taliban.

Pakistan's PM honors armed forces' sacrifice at military college

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s military eliminated fifteen terrorists linked to Indian proxy, Fitna al Khwarij and Fitna al Hindustan, on Thursday in the southwest province of Balochistan, according to a statement from the military&rsquo;s media wing, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).&nbsp;According to the statement, &ldquo;intelligence-based operations (IBO) were conducted in Harnai and Basima Districts&rdquo; following reports of the presence of &ldquo;Khwarij ex Fitna al Khwarij.&rdquo;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;During the operation in Harnai, the military &ldquo;effectively engaged the Khwarij Hideout&rdquo; and after an intense engagement, &ldquo;twelve Indian sponsored Khwarij&rdquo; were eliminated, ISPR said. ISPR added that &ldquo;weapons, ammunition, and explosives&rdquo; were also recovered from the terrorists. President Asif Ali Zardari also paid tribute to the security forces for the operation in Balochistan. In a statement from his office, Zardari said eliminating foreign-backed terrorism is the &ldquo;top priority&rdquo; of the country. He also praised the &ldquo;professional capability and resolve of the security forces.&rdquo; &ldquo;In the unwavering resolve for the protection of the motherland, the entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the security forces,&rdquo; he said in his statement. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also commended the security forces for the operation in Balochistan against the Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan. In a statement from the prime minister&rsquo;s office, Sharif said the military was achieving &ldquo;great successes against terrorism.&rdquo; &ldquo;In this war against terrorism, the entire nation stands with the Pakistan Armed Forces; we are committed to the complete elimination of terrorism from the country,&rdquo; Sharif said in the statement.

Pakistan security forces killed 15 terrorists linked to Fitna al Khwarij and Fitna al Hindustan during intelligence-based operations in Balochistan’s Harnai and Basima districts, recovering weapons and explosives, as national leaders praised the military’s counterterrorism efforts.

Pakistan security forces kill 15 terrorists in Balochistan operation: Military

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong on Thursday, with both sides condemning recent terrorist attacks in Balochistan and reaffirming their commitment to strengthening security cooperation under the China-Pakistan strategic partnership.&nbsp;During the meeting at the Interior Ministry, the Chinese envoy expressed condolences over the loss of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/12-indianbacked-militants-killed-in-clearance-operation-after-terrorists-attack-in-police-station-banks-pakistan-army" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">civilian and security personnel&#39;s lives</a>&nbsp;in the attacks and conveyed China&rsquo;s solidarity with the affected families. He said Beijing strongly opposes terrorism in all its forms and stands firmly with Pakistan in its fight against militancy, according to an official statement.&nbsp;&nbsp;Naqvi said the attacks in Balochistan were carried out under what he described as a &ldquo;well-planned and organized scheme,&rdquo; adding that Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-security-forces-kill-216-terrorists-in-balochistan-operation-military" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">responded in a timely and effective manner</a>.&nbsp;He briefed the ambassador on ongoing security operations in the province and on measures being taken to protect Chinese nationals and projects in Pakistan, calling their safety a top priority.&nbsp;Naqvi said Pakistan was in the process of establishing a Special Protection Unit for Chinese citizens and added that modern Chinese technology and equipment would support coordinated counter-terrorism operations.&nbsp;The two sides discussed counter-terrorism, internal security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and collaboration in tackling cybercrime, according to an official statement.&nbsp;Both Naqvi and Jiang reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the China-Pakistan strategic partnership. The Chinese ambassador thanked Pakistan for the steps taken to ensure the security of Chinese nationals, while Naqvi expressed appreciation for China&rsquo;s continued support for Pakistan.&nbsp;Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, senior Interior Ministry officials, and Chinese embassy representatives were also present at the meeting.

Ambassador Jiang Zaidong meets Mohsin Naqvi

The Chinese envoy expresses condolences over the loss of civilian and security personnel's lives in the attacks and conveyed China’s solidarity with the affected families

Pakistan, China reaffirm security cooperation after Balochistan attacks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces have successfully concluded Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1 in Balochistan, killing 216 terrorists in a series of intelligence-based clearance operations against what the military described as Indian-sponsored terrorist elements, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.&nbsp;In a statement, the military&rsquo;s media wing said the days-long operation involved coordinated, swift, and intelligence-driven actions aimed at neutralizing terrorist networks attempting to disrupt peace and development by targeting innocent civilians, including women and children.&nbsp;The operation was launched following a spate of coordinated <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/12-indianbacked-militants-killed-in-clearance-operation-after-terrorists-attack-in-police-station-banks-pakistan-army" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">terrorist attacks across Balochistan</a> on Jan. 31, which paralyzed normal life in several parts of the province.&nbsp;&ldquo;As a result of these well-coordinated engagements and subsequent clearance operations, 216 terrorists have been sent to hell, significantly degrading the leadership, command-and-control structures and operational capabilities of terrorist networks,&rdquo; the ISPR said.&nbsp;It said Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces, law enforcement agencies, and intelligence services carried out the operation through meticulous planning, actionable intelligence, and seamless joint execution, responding with precision and resolve.&nbsp;According to the ISPR, 36 civilians, including women and children, were martyred during the terrorist violence, while 22 personnel of the security forces and law enforcement agencies laid down their lives in defense of the country. &ldquo;Their courage, professionalism, and unwavering commitment reflect the highest traditions of service. The nation honors their sacrifices and stands in solidarity with the families of all martyrs,&rdquo; the statement said. Detailing the operational timeline, the ISPR said actions were initiated on Jan. 29 in Panjgur and the outskirts of Harnai district after credible intelligence confirmed the presence of terrorists posing an imminent threat to local populations. During the initial phase, security forces targeted identified terrorist hideouts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-security-forces-kill-41-terrorists-in-operations-ispr" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">eliminating 41 terrorists linked</a>&nbsp;to Indian proxy networks, the military said. It added that subsequent aggressive responses by security forces thwarted attempts by Fitna-al-Hindustan to destabilize Balochistan, prompting a broader series of intelligence-based operations across multiple areas. &ldquo;These operations focused on dismantling sleeper cells through sustained combing and sanitization actions,&rdquo; the ISPR said, adding that a large cache of foreign-origin weapons, ammunition, explosives, and equipment was recovered. Preliminary assessments, according to the military, indicate systematic external facilitation and logistical support to extremist proxies operating in the province. Reaffirming its resolve, the ISPR said the armed forces remain committed to combating terrorism in all its forms under the framework of the government&rsquo;s National Action Plan (NAP). &ldquo;Counter-terrorism operations will continue with full determination until the complete elimination of terrorist threats,&rdquo; the statement said. The military described Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1 as a reflection of Pakistan&rsquo;s resolve, particularly that of the people of Balochistan, to choose peace, unity, and development over violence and extremism. Following the Jan. 31 attacks, security forces and law enforcement agencies continued mop-up operations in Nushki district and other areas of the province. Mobile internet services remained suspended in parts of Balochistan for a fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, while train services were also halted as a security precaution.

Security personnel cordon off a road leading to the blast site in Quetta on February 1, 2026, a day after an attack by Baloch separatists. (Photo: AFP/File)

According to the ISPR, 36 civilians, including women and children, were martyred during the terrorist violence, while 22 personnel of the security forces and law enforcement agencies laid down their lives in defense of the country.


Pakistan security forces kill 216 terrorists in Balochistan operation: Military

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday condemned the &ldquo;heinous and cowardly&rdquo; coordinated <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/balochistan-cm-vows-wont-surrender-even-an-inch-after-coordinated-attacks" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">terrorist attacks</a>&nbsp;in Pakistan&rsquo;s Balochistan province.&nbsp; Pakistan has faced a renewed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-reaffirms-resolve-after-security-forces-kill-108-indianbacked-terrorists" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">surge</a> in militant violence in recent years, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, following the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan&rsquo;s (TTP) decision to end its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.&nbsp; Last week&rsquo;s coordinated assaults, claimed by Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), left 17 security personnel martyred and 31 civilians dead.&nbsp; Consequently, Pakistani security forces, in counter terrorism operations, eliminated 177 terrorists, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told the National Assembly. In a press statement issued today by Council President James Kariuki, the members of the UNSC expressed their &ldquo;deepest sympathy and condolences,&rdquo; wishing a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured. &ldquo;The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,&rdquo; the statement shared by Pakistan&rsquo;s permanent mission to the UN said. The members underline the need &ldquo;to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable,&rdquo; bringing them to justice. They also urged all states to cooperate actively with the Pakistani government.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever, and by whomsoever committed,&rdquo; the statement said, reaffirming the need for all to combat threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. Several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, etc., have separately <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/condemnations-pour-in-for-pakistan-as-security-forces-kill-another-22-indianbacked-militants" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">condemned</a> the attacks, expressing solidarity with Pakistan. BLA is listed as a terrorist organization by Pakistan, China, Iran, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.

Foreign Affairs

Security Council members underline need “to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable,” and to bring them to justice. 

Balochistan attacks: UNSC condemns ‘heinous, cowardly’ terrorists

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning recent terrorist incidents in Balochistan and calling for an immediate, aggressive, and coordinated national response. The resolution was tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and passed in response to coordinated terrorist attacks across the south-western province. The country&rsquo;s lower house condemned the attacks&nbsp;&ldquo;in the strongest terms&rdquo; in which innocent civilians were targeted, and women were used as weapons through &ldquo;heinous and inhumane&rdquo; tactics. Lawmakers expressed deep sorrow that terrorist networks were exploiting women through coercion, mental pressure, and blackmail, adding that such actions were contrary to Islamic, Pakistani, and Baloch values. The resolution praised timely and effective measures by security forces, law enforcement agencies, the provincial government of Balochistan, and the civil administration. expressing full solidarity with the families of martyrs and the injured. It clarified that attacks on civilians, women, and children are unforgivable crimes, and the state will act with zero tolerance. The resolution stated that available evidence points to external sponsorship, raising serious concerns about India&rsquo;s role. It noted that some neighboring countries provide logistical and operational facilitation, financial assistance, training, treatment, transport, and propaganda support to terrorist networks. It stated that an effective national response be ensured on an immediate, aggressive, coordinated, and emergency basis against foreign sponsors and internal facilitators. This includes funding networks, smuggling routes, and propaganda hubs, with political, diplomatic, military, intelligence, legal, and rhetorical fronts united. The lower house declared that the fight against terrorism is the fight of the entire nation. Lawmakers called for national unity across political lines and said that the state will ensure the protection and security of its people in every way.

Lower house declares fight against terrorism is the fight of the entire nation; Lawmakers call for national unity across political lines, say state will ensure the protection and security of its people in every way.

Balochistan attacks: Pakistan calls for immediate, aggressive, coordinated national response

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed at least 145 terrorists during nearly 40 hours of intelligence-based operations across southwestern Balochistan following coordinated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-reaffirms-resolve-after-security-forces-kill-108-indianbacked-terrorists" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">attacks</a>&nbsp;by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), provincial authorities confirmed on Sunday. Addressing a press conference in Quetta, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti&nbsp;<a href="https://www.radio.gov.pk/01-02-2026/no-place-for-terrorists-in-balochistan-cm-sarfraz" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a>&nbsp;militants carried out simultaneous attacks in 12 towns, including the provincial capital, resulting in the martyrdom of 17 security personnel and the killing of 31 civilians. &ldquo;The bodies of 145 terrorists are in the custody of the authorities,&rdquo; Bugti said, adding that intelligence agencies had received advance warnings of the attacks, prompting pre-emptive operations a day earlier. Bugti said Nushki has been completely cleared and confirmed that militants failed to breach sensitive areas, including the Red Zone. He said that in Gwadar, terrorists killed five women and three children from a Baloch family belonging to Khuzdar and also targeted a labor colony. &ldquo;Why are Baloch people being turned into fuel for violence at India&rsquo;s behest?&rdquo; Bugti asked. Rejecting calls for dialogue with the BLA, he said the group was not a political entity. &ldquo;Is the BLA a registered political party that talks can be held with it?&rdquo; he asked, stating that the group sought to impose its ideology through violence. Reaffirming the state&rsquo;s resolve, Bugti declared: &ldquo;We will not surrender. They may try to destabilize us, but they cannot take a single inch of our country.&rdquo; &ldquo;Our blood is not cheap,&rdquo; he added, warning that the land would be &ldquo;turned into hell for terrorists.&rdquo; Bugti rejected claims of indiscriminate force, saying the operations were limited and intelligence-based, and that heavy firepower was deliberately avoided to prevent civilian casualties. He described Balochistan as a conflict zone and said Pakistan was fighting India&rsquo;s proxy networks, vowing that the state was prepared to continue the fight &ldquo;for a thousand years if required&rdquo; to restore peace. Separately, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said coordinated attacks were launched on Saturday at 12 locations across Balochistan in an attempt to cause mass casualties and offset recent losses suffered by the BLA and its affiliates. Addressing a press conference in the eastern city of Sialkot, Asif said the attacks reflected &ldquo;two sides of the same coins, India and the BLA.&rdquo; &ldquo;The BLA is operating as an Indian proxy,&rdquo; he said, adding that intelligence reports and confessional statements from arrested militants clearly traced the links of the attacks back to India. He said suicide attacks were attempted on Frontier Corps headquarters in Nushki and Dalbandin, while multiple other locations were targeted simultaneously. &ldquo;Due to timely action by security forces, all attempts were foiled,&rdquo; he said, confirming that 11 security personnel were martyred during recent engagements and that over 100 militants had been killed in the past two days, with the toll expected to rise. Asif expressed grave concern over the exploitation of women and children by terrorist groups, saying vulnerable populations were being systematically radicalized. He said Pakistan was fighting a decisive war against the BLA and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and warned that facilitators of terrorism would face the same fate as militants. &ldquo;The fight against terrorism transcends political differences,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Loyalty is to the nation and the soil alone.&rdquo; Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar strongly condemned what he described as &ldquo;cowardly and heinous coordinated terrorist attacks&rdquo; in Balochistan. &ldquo;These attacks were aimed at undermining the safety and security of our people and the stability of the province and Pakistan,&rdquo; Dar said. He praised the response of the security forces, stating, &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s Armed Forces, Frontier Corps, Police and Law Enforcement Agencies responded with exemplary courage and professionalism, neutralizing the terrorists and protecting civilian lives.&rdquo; &ldquo;We pay profound tribute to the Shuhada whose supreme sacrifices will forever remain a source of strength and pride for the nation,&rdquo; Dar added, reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms.&rdquo; The international community continued to condemn the attacks following Saturday&rsquo;s violence. Norway strongly denounced the terrorist attacks in Balochistan, extending its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims. The United Arab Emirates, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, condemned the attacks &ldquo;in the strongest terms,&rdquo; reaffirming its rejection of violence, extremism, and terrorism, and expressing sincere condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the government and people of Pakistan. The United States Embassy in Islamabad also strongly condemned the January 31 attacks, claimed by the BLA, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. &ldquo;On behalf of the United States, I extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the victims of terrorism, their families, and all those affected,&rdquo; US Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires Natalie Baker said. Earlier, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, T&uuml;rkiye, Qatar, and the United States had also denounced the attacks. Pakistani officials reiterated that counterterrorism operations will continue under the national vision to eliminate terrorism and safeguard civilians, sovereignty, and national integrity.<div class="fr-embed"> </div>

Security personnel cordon off a road leading to the blast site in Quetta on February 1, 2026, a day after an attack by Baloch separatists. A day after more than 120 people were killed -- including 92 militants -- in brazen, coordinated attacks by Baloch s

The US, UAE, and Norway join global condemnation as Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif says India orchestrated coordinated Balochistan attacks, resulting in 31 civilian and 17 security personnel casualties

Articles tagged with "Terrorism in Balochistan"

Pakistan's PM honors armed forces' sacrifice at military college

Pakistan security forces kill 15 terrorists in Balochistan operation: Military

Pakistan, China reaffirm security cooperation after Balochistan attacks

Pakistan security forces kill 216 terrorists in Balochistan operation: Military

Balochistan attacks: UNSC condemns ‘heinous, cowardly’ terrorists

Balochistan attacks: Pakistan calls for immediate, aggressive, coordinated national response

Pakistani leaders vow action as security forces kill 145 terrorists in Balochistan

Pakistan's PM honors armed forces' sacrifice at military college