Defense Minister Says All Targets Neutralized as ISPR Reports Heavy Terror Losses
Khawaja Asif speaking to the media regarding yesterday’s attacks in Balochistan. Photo: YouTube (PTV)
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Sunday that Pakistan’s findings show that “all links point to India” in the recent attacks across Balochistan that were claimed by the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
On Saturday, terrorists carried out a series of coordinated attacks in several locations across the province. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces killed 92 terrorists, while 18 civilians were martyred. The army said that during the mine clearance operations and intense clashes, “15 courageous sons of the soil, after fighting valiantly, made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom.”
The BLA claimed responsibility for the attacks in a social media post, describing them as the second phase of “Operation Heroof”. The government has designated the BLA and other Baloch groups as “Fitna al Hindustan”, alleging that they are acting as proxies for India to destabilize Pakistan through hybrid warfare. Officials say the BLA’s suicide wing, the Majeed Brigade, has developed ties to other anti-Pakistan terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan.
Security sources also claimed that Indian media and India-linked social media accounts amplified support for Fitna al Hindustan during the attacks, which they described as part of a coordinated hostile information campaign.
Speaking to reporters in his hometown of Sialkot, Asif said the BLA “is an internationally recognized and internationally banned terrorist organization”, adding that it seeks to maintain its visibility “to obtain foreign funding from India”. He said the group had carried out attacks against civilians, including kidnappings of civilians and government employees.
Read: 92 terrorists killed, 15 security personnel martyred as attacks foiled in Balochistan: ISPR
He alleged that the group attempted to mask its activities by adopting a human rights-oriented posture. “They also wore a veil in the form of human rights activism, a sort of costume in the form of BYC and the missing persons narrative,” he said.
Recalling his previous tenure as defense minister, Asif said he said eight years ago that many people described as missing were in fact members of terrorist organizations such as the BLA. “These are agents of these terrorist organizations who are attacking our offices and our homes,” he said. According to Asif, when such individuals are killed, they are identified as terrorists, while a “false narrative” is created around the missing people.
He claimed that some of them were alive and living in Dubai or Muscat, while their relatives were receiving benefits, adding that “a discourse on human rights was created out of nothing to attract the world’s attention.”
Asif further alleged that terrorist groups were now using women and children. “Now they are also using children and women. In two attacks yesterday, women were used,” he said, claiming they were being indoctrinated. He said a failed suicide bomber who had been captured had confessed and that the groups targeted the unemployed, the poor and workers.
Commenting on the security response, Asif said all targets had been neutralized. He said 11 security officials were killed, while more than 100 terrorists were killed, adding that the number could rise.
Outlining what he described as the broader goal of the state, Asif said Pakistan aimed to ensure peace in all provinces and defeat foreign intervention, including what he called involvement across Afghanistan in the form of the BLA and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “We are fighting on many fronts, but we will defeat all forms of terrorism in the country and no concessions will be made,” he said, calling for national solidarity.
He said several locations were targeted the day before, including Sariab Road in Quetta, Frontier Corps headquarters in Noshki and areas of Dalbandin, with attacks reported in 12 locations.
Asif said Balochistan’s vast geography and sparse population had allowed terrorists to operate in space, but asserted that this advantage would be removed in the coming days. He said the operation, which he called “Herof 2.0,” ended due to poor planning, forcing the attackers to retreat and leave the bodies behind. He also alleged that agents based in Afghanistan were using children to advance their agendas.
On international issues, Asif said more Epstein files had been released and claimed Indian media was defending Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Another face of Modi has emerged,” he said, adding that India’s Congress party had made allegations about Modi’s conduct linked to Israel. He further claimed that Modi’s role emerged after the publication of the Epstein files and said, “No one can go as low as what Israel and India have done.”
