48 terrorists killed in Balochistan operations over 72 hours: ISPR

QUETTA: Security forces have killed 48 terrorists in a series of intelligence-based operations across Balochistan during the past 48 to 72 hours, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The military’s media wing said the operations were carried out in Mastung, Quetta, Kalat and Sibi against groups described by the state as Indian-sponsored proxies.

According to ISPR, six terrorists were killed during an operation in Mastung on September 4 after security forces detected and engaged their movement. Ammunition and improvised explosive devices were also destroyed at the site.

In another operation in the Shaban area of Quetta, security forces identified four terrorist hideouts. Following an exchange of fire, 26 terrorists were killed, ISPR said.

Two more terrorists were killed when security forces raided a hideout in Kalat, while another two were killed after security forces and local residents foiled an attempt to attack a police station in Bhag, Sibi district.

ISPR said sanitisation operations were continuing in the affected areas to locate and eliminate any remaining militants.

Earlier on Friday, the military said 12 terrorists had been killed in a separate intelligence-based operation in Kalat on September 2. Security forces had identified and targeted a terrorist hideout, while ammunition and improvised explosive devices were destroyed during the operation.

The military said the counter-terrorism campaign under the government’s “Azm-e-Istehkam” framework would continue to target what it termed foreign-sponsored terrorism.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for the operations and reiterated their commitment to eliminating terrorism.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also commended the forces for the Kalat operation, paying tribute to personnel involved in the action.

The latest operations come amid a continuing rise in militant violence in Pakistan. Data cited from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project shows that reported attacks increased from 658 in 2022 to 2,425 in 2025, while attacks attributed to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan rose from 118 to 838 during the same period.