QUETTA – Security forces in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan killed 14 alleged terrorists of the state-designated Indian proxy group Fitna al-Hindustan during an extensive operation in the Khuzdar district on Saturday. The action underscores the escalating security campaign targeting groups responsible for recent deadly attacks in the region.
The term Fitna al-Hindustan is used by the state to denote Balochistan-based militant groups and highlight India’s alleged role in financing and directing terrorism across Pakistan.
Security officials reported that the operation was launched based on intelligence indicating the presence of militants in the mountainous Zehri area of Khuzdar. Following an intensive cordon, a prolonged gun battle ensued, lasting several hours.
“As many as 14 terrorists were killed in the gun battle, while 20 others were injured,” officials confirmed, adding that a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and other equipment was seized. This sweep came just days after another operation in Sherani district, which resulted in the killing of seven other ‘India-sponsored’ militants.
Officials noted the human dimension of the operation, stating that residents of the Zehri area praised the operation, acknowledging the security forces’ efforts to restore peace to a region plagued by militants who had been harassing and blackmailing local residents. Security forces reaffirmed their full commitment to eliminating the remaining militants of Fitna al-Hindustan.
Investigation into Suicide Car Bombing
The large-scale operations follow a recent, devastating car suicide attack on the Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Quetta, which claimed 10 lives, including four security personnel, and left 33 others injured.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has registered a First Information Report (FIR) and launched a full investigation into the Quetta attack. CTD sources have successfully identified two of the terrorists killed while attempting to storm the FC headquarters.
One identified attacker, Sharifullah, hailed from the Mazai Adha area of Qila Abdullah, bordering Afghanistan. Officials revealed that this terrorist was also wanted in Karachi for his involvement in a previous terrorist attack, indicating a network spanning different parts of the country. The second attacker, a resident of Chagai district, is yet to be fully named.
Investigators used NADRA’s fingerprint records to identify the militants and have since been questioning their family members to trace the terror network. The remains of the other terrorists killed in the ensuing gun battle have been sent to the Punjab Forensic Laboratory for detailed analysis.
The area surrounding the FC headquarters remains sealed, reflecting the significant security breach. Buildings severely damaged by the powerful explosion, including the offices of local newspaper Daily Mashriq and private TV channel HUM, have been cordoned off, underscoring the attack’s wide-ranging impact on civilian life and media operations in the provincial capital.
