Three more terrorists have been killed as security forces continue their joint operation, Operation Shaban, in Balochistan, reports Dawn to citing Pakistan state media.
The latest casualties have taken the number of terrorists killed during the operation to 88, Pakistan Television reported, quoting security sources.
The state broadcaster also reported that 126 terrorists had been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations across Balochistan since 5 July.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the security forces following the latest operations, saying the campaign against terrorist groups was progressing successfully, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
Operation Shaban was launched following a deadly attack on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station in Ziarat, where armed attackers kidnapped and killed 27 police personnel. The Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police are jointly participating in the operation.
Pakistan Television reported that security forces had intensified air and ground operations as part of the ongoing search and clearance campaign.
Balochistan has witnessed prolonged militant violence, with security assessments showing a sharp rise in attacks in recent months.
According to a monthly security report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), Pakistan's security situation deteriorated significantly in May, largely due to increased terrorist activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The report identified Balochistan as the worst-affected province, recording 71 terrorist attacks in May, compared with 34 in April – a 109% increase.
It also said 52 of the 54 abductions reported nationwide during the month occurred in Balochistan, indicating an expanding operational presence of militant groups in the province.
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the country's civil and military leadership had reached a "mutual and singular decision" to eliminate terrorism following a series of major attacks in Balochistan.
Speaking at a meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee on the National Action Plan in Quetta, attended by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, the prime minister said terrorism must be ended through collective efforts.
His remarks came a day after Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry blamed India and Afghanistan for alleged involvement in recent attacks in Balochistan.
He referred to three major incidents – an armed attack on the outskirts of Quetta on 5 July, the Ziarat police post attack on 6 July, and an ambush on an army convoy in Bela on 7 July.
Ziarat protest continues
Meanwhile, a sit-in in Ziarat over the killing of police personnel entered its sixth day on Tuesday, with the bodies of seven slain officers still unburied, Dawn reported.
Government representatives and protesters continued negotiations, but no agreement was reached.
Provincial Home Minister Ziaullah Langove, who is leading the government's negotiating team, urged the families of the deceased police personnel to bury their loved ones, saying the government had accepted most of their demands, including the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the attack.
Relatives of the slain officers, political leaders, civil society representatives and local residents joined the protest, demanding justice and stronger action against militant groups.
Operation Shaban / Pakistan / Balochistan
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