Pakistani security forces have killed 145 militants over the past 40 hours following a wave of coordinated attacks across Balochistan province, the provincial chief minister said on Sunday, pledging to continue the government’s campaign against terrorism.
Speaking at a press conference in Quetta, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said the toll includes militants killed in airstrikes on Friday and Saturday, as well as others killed during ongoing search and clearance operations.
Bugti said 17 members of law enforcement agencies, including police officers, border security personnel and a navy soldier, were killed in the attacks. Civilian casualties reached 31, he added.
Pakistan’s military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said operations in the Panjgur and Harnai districts on Friday killed 41 militants. A further 92 militants were killed in Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Turbat, Pasni and Tump after security forces repelled coordinated attacks targeting civilians and law enforcement personnel.
The Pakistani military said the attacks were carried out by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The group later claimed responsibility for the multi-site assaults, according to Arab News.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused India of backing the attacks, holding New Delhi responsible for planning militant operations in the province. India has consistently denied Pakistan’s allegations of supporting armed groups inside the country.
Bugti praised security forces for neutralising more than 1,500 militants over the past year and for conducting more than 58,000 intelligence-based operations across Balochistan. He said the government would not surrender to militants and would continue fighting until they are eliminated.
The latest violence underscores the continued insurgent activity in resource-rich Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, where separatist armed groups have intensified attacks on security forces, civilians and infrastructure.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and poorest province, has faced a separatist insurgency for decades, driven by demands for greater autonomy and a larger share of the region’s natural resources.
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army said it carried out a coordinated operation dubbed “Herof” or “Black Storm”, targeting security forces across the province.
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