0
• Military spox says 27 policemen martyred in Ziarat attack and aftermath; 11 soldiers martyred after convoy attacked in Bela-Winder; four civilians lose their lives in Hanna Uruk assault
• Claims more than 50 terrorists eliminated in clearance operations, with action still ongoing
• ISPR chief points finger squarely at India and Afghanistan; vows no ‘rationality and proportionality’ in state’s response
• Balochistan govt suspends Ziarat SP, initiates probe into assault on Mangi Dam post
ISLAMABAD: At least 42 people — including security and law enforcement personnel — have lost their lives in terrorist attacks and subsequent operations in Balochistan since July 5, the military revealed on Wednesday.
At a press briefing, the military’s chief spokesperson warned terrorists and their facilitators to expect no “rationality and proportionality” as security forces continue to hunt down the perpetrators of the heinous attacks, which rocked the province over the past four days.
“We will hunt you, and we will hurt you everywhere,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry declared.
Recounting three major terrorist attacks, he said that four citizens lost their lives in the armed attack that took place in the Hanna Urak valley, in the outskirts of Quetta on July 4/5.
Then, nine policemen laid down their lives in what he called a “multi-directional attack” by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists on a police checkpost in Ziarat, which guards Pumping Station No.3 of Mangi Dam.
The DG ISPR recalled that the policemen stood their ground and fought back, adding that 15 terrorists were killed in the engagement.
However, before army and Frontier Corps reinforcements could reach the area, terrorists took the remaining 18 police personnel hostage, who were martyred by the terrorists after security forces cornered in the subsequent operation, which he said was still ongoing. At least 11 terrorists were killed during the clearance operation, he said.
Providing details of a third terrorist incident, which took place on Wednesday, he said an army convoy in the area of Bela, Winder had engaged terrorists from the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
“The convoy was attacked and 11 soldiers — one junior commissioned officer (JCO) and 10 jawaans — were martyred, and 14 terrorists of BLA Fitna al Hindustan were killed,” he said, adding that the incident took place near the N-25 highway.
The government uses the term Fitna al Hindustan to refer to Baloch terrorist groups it accuses of being sponsored by India.
Separately, the DG ISPR said that security forces had killed six terrorists in an operation in Kharan and another eight terrorists in Dalbandin, all of whom he said were of FAH.
‘India, Afghanistan to blame’
Lt Gen Chaudhry pointed the finger squarely at India and Afghanistan for being behind the attacks, saying that it was the handiwork of India and “those forces with India who cannot tolerate Pakistan’s respect, prosperity and stability”.
He reiterated the state’s stance that terrorists were using “the territories under the control of this illegitimate Afghan Taliban regime as a base of operation”.
The DG ISPR asserted that the “majority” of the terrorists engaged and killed “turn out to be Afghan”.
He said that three of the four attackers in the June 27 attack on a Rangers camp in Karachi were Afghan. “The whole planning, equipping, everything was done from Afghanistan.”
Highlighting that the attacks took place in multiple locations, including Winder, Babrai and near Mangi Dam, the DG ISPR said there “is a scheme, mastermind, intent, logistics, operational sequence behind it”.
Stressing that Afghanistan was “providing the manpower for it”, he said, “You do not want Balochistan to prosper? Because you know that Balochistan is Pakistan’s lifeline and its pride. Because you know that Balochistan’s prosperity is a reality that no one can change.
“You cannot digest it? You cannot accept it? You have a problem with the pipeline supplying water to Quetta? You have a problem with everything that is for the people of Balochistan.”
“If that be it, then we are absolutely clear,” he said, affirming that the armed forces — under the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and the guidance of the government — had the resolve and clarity on “what to do with them”.
He emphasised that the government and people of Balochistan also had the same “clarity”, pointing out that Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti travelled by road to Ziarat and spoke to the people there after the Mangi Dam incident happened.
The military spokesman vowed to “take on each and every terrorist, their facilitators, those who harbour them, those who furnish them, those who provide them bases, wherever they are, without any distinction”.
“We are here and we will remain here. Pakistan is here, Balochistan is here and the people of Balochistan are here,” he asserted.
“Don’t expect any sort of rationality and proportionality from us if you are going to touch our kids, our brave policemen, our soldiers and our innocent citizens. And then you think we will adopt rationality and proportionality and will hold a dialogue with you?” he said.
Ziarat SP suspended
Separately, the Ziarat superintendent of police (SP) was suspended from duty following the terrorist attack on the Mangi Dam police post.
Balochistan chief minister’s aide for media and political affairs Shahid Rind, confirmed the SP’s suspension to Dawn and said that the government had issued a notification in this regard.
Separately, the provincial government also constituted a four-member inquiry committee to probe the incident.
According to a notification dated July 7 and available with Dawn, the committee was tasked with establishing the “complete sequence of events leading to, during and after the terrorist attack”.
The committee will also ascertain the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident and evaluate the deployment, preparedness, response, command, control and coordination of all concerned law enforcement and security agencies.
It will also investigate if there was any “negligence, dereliction of duty, operational lapse, failure of command and control, lack of coordination or cowardice” by law enforcement officials.
Saleem Shahid in Quetta also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2026
