QUETTA (MNN); Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Sunday reaffirmed the state’s resolve to eradicate terrorism following a wave of coordinated attacks across the province, revealing that 145 militants were killed within a span of 40 hours.
Addressing a press conference in Quetta, CM Bugti said this was the highest number of terrorists neutralised in such a short time since Pakistan’s war against terrorism began. He added that the bodies of the militants were in the custody of authorities.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that terrorists belonging to Fitna-al-Hindustan carried out multiple attacks across Balochistan on Saturday, prompting swift action by security forces that resulted in the killing of 92 terrorists. The state has designated certain Balochistan-based militant groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to underline India’s alleged involvement in terrorism and destabilisation efforts in Pakistan.
CM Bugti said 17 personnel from law enforcement agencies, including police, Frontier Corps and one Navy official, were martyred, while 31 civilians were killed or injured. Earlier, ISPR had confirmed the martyrdom of 15 security personnel and the killing of 18 civilians, including women and children.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, along with the Balochistan chief minister and the corps commander, visited injured police officials at the Combined Military Hospital in Quetta. CM Bugti expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and assured that the welfare of martyrs’ children would be the responsibility of the government.
He disclosed that intelligence reports had indicated the likelihood of such attacks, prompting pre-emptive operations a day earlier in areas including Shaban and Panjgur, where around 40 terrorists were killed. He added that militants had planned to attack Quetta from Shaban but security forces remained vigilant.
Calling the Gwadar incident the most tragic, CM Bugti said five women and three children were killed there. He also shared video messages of the injured during the press conference.
The chief minister said terrorists were operating on India’s instructions and exploiting the Baloch identity for violence. He added that militants planned to enter sensitive areas and seize key installations, but their attempts were foiled. Except for Nushki, where operations took longer, all areas were now completely cleared.
Tracing and combing operations were ongoing, CM Bugti said, vowing that terrorists would not be allowed to escape. He confirmed that the Nushki deputy commissioner had safely escaped after briefly falling into militants’ hands.
Rejecting claims that any city had been taken over, the chief minister said he personally visited several areas of Quetta and confirmed that no banks or public infrastructure were looted. He also accused terrorists of using children as human shields during attacks on police stations.
CM Bugti criticised attempts to portray terrorism as a political issue, asserting that armed groups such as the BLA sought to impose their ideology through violence. He warned against justifying terrorism in the name of ethno-nationalism, calling it indirect support for militant groups.
He reiterated that the state would not surrender under any circumstances, adding that Pakistan would continue this fight for as long as required. He also rejected the term “Baloch terrorists”, stressing that terrorists had no ethnicity.
Emphasising that the conflict was intelligence-driven, CM Bugti said no large-scale military operations were conducted and only intelligence-based operations were underway. He accused India’s RAW of backing terrorist activities, claiming solid and circumstantial evidence.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said peace had been restored in Balochistan and security forces were conducting mopping-up operations. He confirmed that attempts to attack FC headquarters in Nushki and Dalbadin were foiled and all targets neutralised. He also alleged Indian involvement and said female suicide bombers were used in some attacks.
Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said terrorists were using civilians, including women and children, as human shields, forcing security forces to act with caution. He rejected claims circulating on social media that militants had taken control of areas, calling them false and, in some cases, AI-generated narratives spread with Indian backing.
In response to the attacks, the Balochistan government imposed a one-month ban on public gatherings, processions, sit-ins, face coverings, display of weapons, pillion riding, tinted vehicle glasses and unregistered vehicles under Section 144.
The attacks drew strong international condemnation. The United States, Iran, France and the European Union denounced the violence and expressed solidarity with Pakistan, extending condolences to the families of victims and reaffirming support against terrorism.
