• Official says security forces conducted 78,000 operations
• Balochistan CTD chief say efforts underway to find Ziarat AC’s body
• Three ‘BLA militants’ held for SHO’s murder

QUETTA: A senior Balochistan official said on Sunday that security forces had conducted 78,000 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in the province this year, killing over 700 militants.

“In various operations and attacks, 202 security personnel and 280 civilians were martyred in the province this year,” Additional Chief Secretary Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat said while addressing a press conference alon­gside Balochistan Counter-Terrorism Depa­rtment (CTD) chief Aitzaz Ahmed Goraya.

He elaborated that due to better strategies by security forces and other law enforcement agencies, terrorist attacks had reduced during the year. However, he added that militants continued to target civilians.

“The designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army [BLA] and the Majeed Brigade as terrorists organisations is our major success,” Mr Shafqaat said, adding that the government would initiate action through Interpol against those operating against Pakistan from abroad.

Ziarat AC

Replying to a question, Balochistan CTD chief Goraya said according to the deputy commissioner of Ziarat, the kidnapped assistant commissioner of Ziarat had been martyred and a search operation to recover his body was in progress, while his son had been safely recovered a few months ago.

Mr Shafqaat said that the CTD had arrested three suspects allegedly involved in the killing of Kharan SHO Muhammad Qasim Baloch.

Video-recorded confessional statements of the three suspects were played during the pre­ss conference. In the video, they identified the­mselves as Jahangir Khan, Muhammad Rahim and Niamatullah, and confessed to killing the Kharan SHO after failing to kidnap him.

They further said they worked for the banned outfit BLA, and claimed that their area commander had ordered them to abduct a police officer. However, they said the SHO resisted the kidnapping attempt and was killed.

The additional chief secretary said efforts were underway to arrest the remaining suspects involved in the killing of the police officer.

The Balochistan CTD chief said the federal government had provided an additional Rs10 billion under the NFC award. He added that this money would be spent on improving the performance of security forces, including the CTD and police, as well as improving infrastructure.

“Steps are being taken to secure national highways linking Balochistan with other provinces,” he added.

To another question, he said the investigation had revealed that elements tracing back to Afghanistan and India were involved in the attack on the FC headquarters in Quetta.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2025