A comprehensive clearance operation was successfully concluded in Balochistan’s Ziarat district following a deadly militant assault on police forces, resulting in the deaths of 15 militants, the provincial government announced on Tuesday. Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to continue intelligence-driven operations targeting armed groups throughout the region.
In a statement issued post-operation, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind emphasized that militants faced severe consequences for their attempts to undermine peace in the province. He highlighted the state’s firm response to terrorism, asserting that law enforcement agencies have decisively dismantled the terrorists’ malicious plans.
Rind further declared that no sanctuary would be granted to militants within Balochistan, stressing that every militant attack would be met with a resolute countermeasure. He reiterated that intelligence-based operations would persist until terrorism is completely eradicated from the province.
Paying tribute to the police officers and personnel who lost their lives during the Ziarat attack, Rind vowed that their sacrifices would not be forgotten and that justice would be served for the fallen. He underscored that maintaining peace, stability, and security in Balochistan remains the government’s highest priority.
The spokesperson also commended the bravery of police personnel who confronted the attackers despite facing heavy targeting during the assault. The provincial government confirmed that two police officers and seven other personnel were martyred while resisting the militants during the operation.
The clearance operation was initiated after heavily armed militants launched an attack on police in the Kuch Mangi Phase III area of Ziarat late Monday, triggering a prolonged and intense gun battle lasting several hours. Multiple law enforcement agencies collaborated in the counterterrorism effort, successfully dismantling the militant network active in the area.
Earlier, Ziarat Senior Superintendent of Police Qadoos Dehwar confirmed that nine police personnel were martyred in the attack. The identities of eight fallen officers have been revealed: Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Hussain, SHO Sohbat Khan, Abdul Baqi, Sher Muhammad Kawas, Mansoor Ahmed, Saifullah of the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) Harnai, Muhammad Ashraf Sanjawi, and Azad Khan Sanjawi. The ninth martyred officer’s identity remains undisclosed.
The bodies of the deceased personnel were transferred to the District Headquarters Hospital in Ziarat for post-mortem examinations and other legal procedures.
In a significant development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, describing it as a clear indication that militants remain adversaries to Balochistan’s peace, development, and prosperity. Offering condolences to the families of the martyrs, the prime minister pledged that operations against militant factions would continue until the threat from anti-state elements is fully neutralized.
This recent attack highlights the ongoing security challenges confronting Balochistan, where security forces have escalated intelligence-based operations in recent months targeting militant groups responsible for assaults on law enforcement and civilians alike.
