ISPR Says 33 Militants Killed in Balochistan Operations

Pakistan's military says security forces have killed 33 militants in counterterrorism operations in Balochistan since September 21, including 22 in the Shaban area and 11 during a separate intelligence-based operation in Nushki.

The Inter-Services Public Relations said the latest phase of the Shaban operation resulted in five additional deaths after troops found more suspected hideouts and exchanged fire with armed fighters. That brought the military's reported total for the operation to 22.

In Nushki, forces acted on intelligence about a suspected militant location and killed 11 people during an intense exchange of fire, according to ISPR. The military said weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered during the operations.

The casualty figures and account of the encounters come from the military and had not been independently verified at the time of publication. ISPR did not identify the dead by name in the public summary or provide information about security-force casualties in these particular engagements.

Clearance operation continues

The military said search and clearance activity would continue in the Shaban area until the threat had been neutralised. Such operations generally involve checking compounds, routes and suspected storage locations after an initial firefight to prevent surviving fighters from regrouping or leaving weapons behind.

ISPR described those killed as members of groups it calls Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan and alleged that they were sponsored by India. These are terms used by Pakistani authorities for the TTP and for Baloch separatist organisations they say receive foreign backing. India has previously denied Pakistan's allegations that it supports militancy in Balochistan.

The official terminology does not by itself establish the affiliation of each person killed. More specific information about the groups, evidence recovered and the circumstances of the encounters would help clarify the operational picture.

Security pressure in Balochistan

Balochistan faces violence from more than one armed network. Separatist groups have attacked security forces, infrastructure, transport and civilians, while religiously motivated organisations have also operated in the province. That mix complicates attribution and requires security agencies to distinguish between networks with different leadership, objectives and methods.

Nushki has recently experienced additional violence. Two police officers assigned to protect polio vaccinators were killed in the district earlier in the week, although no group immediately claimed that attack. The vaccination team was not harmed.

The province's size, mountainous terrain and long borders create significant operational challenges. Armed groups can exploit remote routes, while attacks on highways and public services place pressure on both security forces and local communities.

Operations under Azm-e-Istehkam

ISPR said the Balochistan actions form part of the counterterrorism campaign pursued under Azm-e-Istehkam, which was approved through the federal apex committee overseeing the National Action Plan. The approach combines intelligence-based operations by security forces and law-enforcement agencies with measures intended to disrupt financing and logistical support.

Military action is one element of the response. Lasting security also depends on civilian policing, functioning courts, protection for witnesses, control of weapons and financing, and public confidence that operations are lawful and discriminate between combatants and residents.

Balochistan's political grievances and development gaps add another layer to the challenge. Authorities say armed attacks must be confronted directly, while rights groups and local leaders have repeatedly called for accountability, political engagement and protection of civilians during security operations.

The military has pledged to continue operations at what it described as full pace against foreign-sponsored terrorism. The immediate official result is 33 reported militant deaths across the two areas since September 21.

Further assessment will depend on whether ISPR releases more detail, whether the operations uncover wider networks and whether the security situation in Shaban and Nushki stabilises after the clearance phase. For residents, the practical measure of success will be a sustained reduction in attacks and a return to normal movement and public services.