In partnership with
Profit
ASIF CALLS FOR ‘MASSIVE TROOP DEPLOYMENT’ IN BALOCHISTAN DUE TO ‘GRAVE SECURITY CHALLENGE’ Tuesday, 3 February, 2026 | 14 Sha’ban, 1447
g
g
SAYS 177 TERRORISTS KILLED AS SECURITY FORCES CONTINUE LARGE-SCALE CLEARANCE OPERATIONS ACROSS BALOCHISTAN BLAMES SMUGGLING NEXUS, ALLEGES CRIMINAL NETWORKS OPERATING UNDER BANNED BLA BANNER
g
g
Rs 50.00 | Vol XVI No 210 | 48 Pages | Islamabad Edition
RULES OUT TALKS WITH MILITANTS, VOWS FORCEFUL RESPONSE TO FUTURE ATTACKS
OPPOSITION LEADER ACHAKZAI QUESTIONS INTELLIGENCE LAPSES, LINKS TERRORISM TO PAST POLICY CHOICES
Rana Sanaullah calls for national unity as Senate condemns Balochistan terror attacks ISLAMABAD
staff report
D
ISLAMABAD Mian abrar
EFENCE Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that Pakistan was compelled to deploy large numbers of troops in Balochistan due to the province’s vast geographical expanse and the severity of the security situation, particularly in the wake of a recent spate of coordinated terrorist attacks. Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Asif said Balochistan—which makes up over 40 percent of Pakistan’s total landmass—posed unique security challenges that could not be compared to those of densely populated urban centers. “Balochistan constitutes over 40 per cent of Pakistan geographically. To con-
trol it is far more difficult than a populated city or area, and it requires the deployment of massive forces,” he said. “Our troops are deployed there and are actively engaged, but they are physically constrained by the need to guard and patrol such a vast territory.” His remarks came a day after coordinated attacks were carried out at multiple locations across the province. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), terrorists of what it described as Indian-sponsored Fitna alHindustan launched assaults around Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni on Saturday. The military said security forces repelled the attacks, killing 92 terrorists during initial operations, while 15 security personnel were martyred. Security
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan on Monday urged all political parties to adopt a unified national stance against terrorism, declaring the perpetrators of recent attacks in Balochistan as “enemies of Pakistan” acting on the directives of “anti-Pakistan elements.” Speaking in the Senate while responding to opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas, Sanaullah said around 177 terrorists had been eliminated in recent operations, while 17 law-enforcement personnel and 33 civilians were killed in the latest wave of violence. “These elements cannot be portrayed as angry or aggrieved groups,” he said, adding that the attacks reflected organised militancy, not isolated criminal acts. Providing a breakdown of casualties among security forces, Sanaullah said 10 police personnel, six Frontier
sources later said that 22 more terrorists were killed during overnight follow-up actions, bringing the total number of militants killed over the past three days to at least 177. Asif told the House that
Corps members and one Levies official were among those martyred. He said civilians were killed when terrorists stormed homes and residential areas. Sanaullah said militants had repeatedly stopped buses, checked passengers’ identity cards and executed people in front of their families, including women and children. He cited similar brutality in attacks on trains, including the Jaffar Express, where passengers were taken hostage, humiliated and killed. “These are acts of extreme savagery that no sane human being can justify,” he said, rejecting the narrative that the attackers were merely disgruntled elements. He also claimed that after recent operations, bodies of killed terrorists were forcibly taken from hospitals in Quetta, raising questions about the motives of those claiming to speak for “rights”. He added that security forces had foiled attempts to breach the Quetta Red Zone and neutralised terrorists wherever they attempted to operate.
16 security personnel and 33 civilians had lost their lives during the recent violence, underlining the gravity of the threat facing the province.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
IN TODAY’S ISSUE
ATTENTION Some readers have complained that they are not getting the magazine with their newspaper copy. Please call or WhatsApp us at the following number to register a complaint. Contact: 0307-7338168
Security forces kill 22 more terrorists in Balochistan; terrorist death toll rises to 177
irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
RAWALPINDI
staff Correspondent
Pakistan’s security forces continued intensive counterterrorism operations across Balochistan, killing 22 more terrorists during overnight follow-up actions, security sources said on Monday, as the total number of militants eliminated over the past three days rose to at least 177. According to the sources, the ongoing campaign comprises large-scale sanitisation and clearance operations targeting terrorists and their facilitators in multiple parts of the province. Security forces, supported by intelligence agencies and police, have tightened cordons around suspected hideouts and operational zones, inflicting further losses on militant networks. Earlier, addressing a press conference in Quetta, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti described the operation as one of the most extensive intelligence-led counterterrorism actions conducted within such a short period. He said the crackdown was launched in response to a series of coordinated attacks claimed by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The military’s media wing, InterServices Public Relations (ISPR), said terrorists launched near-simultaneous assaults on Saturday at multiple locations, targeting both security installations and civilian areas. The attacks took place in Quetta, Mastung, Noshki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni. Security forces responded swiftly with sustained clearance operations and armed standoffs, killing 92 terrorists on the first day of the operation. According to ISPR, 18 civilians were martyred in the attacks, while 15 security personnel “fought gallantly and embraced martyrdom” during the counterterrorism response.