Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir said on Tuesday that the Pakistan Army was aware of the “nefarious designs of external enemies of Pakistan” to disturb the peace in Balochistan.

According to a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief made the remarks while visiting the province’s Khuzdar and Basima areas.

He was received by Quetta Corps Commander Lt Gen Asif Ghafoor.

The ISPR statement said Gen Munir was briefed on the prevailing security situation and the formation’s operational preparedness, along with measures being taken to ensure a “peaceful and secure environment”.

“While interacting with troops, COAS emphasised on maintaining optimum operational readiness to thwart attempts by foreign sponsored and supported hostile elements to destabilise Balochistan,” the statement said.

“We are aware of the nefarious designs of external enemies of Pakistan to disturb the hard-earned peaceful environment in Balochistan,” the ISPR statement quoted the army chief as saying.

He also said that the army’s deployment and operations were being “focused” in Balochistan to provide an “enabling environment for benevolent people-centric socioeconomic development”.

Over the past few months, the law and order situation in the country has worsened, with terrorist groups executing attacks with near impunity across the country.

Insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The year 2022 ended with December as the deadliest month for Pakistan as the country suffered as many as 376 terror attacks in the year that resulted in an increased number of casualties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.