Nine suspected terrorists were eliminated and four officials of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) were killed in a violent gunbattle in a Quetta suburb on Saturday, officials confirmed.
This high-stakes intelligence operation was carried out by CTD and allied security forces in the suburban locations of Kuchlak and Nohsar.
Commenting on the development, Shahid Rind, Assistant to Balochistan Chief Minister on Political and Media Affairs, said the successful raid was a clear demonstration of the professional capabilities and preparedness of law enforcement agencies in the region.
He commended the operational teams for their precise execution of the anti-terrorism raid, noting that the entire nation remained deeply indebted to the security forces for their incessant sacrifices in purging the country of militancy.
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The operation, however, encountered intense resistance from suspected terrorists, leading to violent exchanges of fire that claimed the lives of four security officials. Expressing grief over the loss, Rind paid tribute to the fallen servicemen, stressing that they gave their lives to protect public peace and their sacrifices will never be forgotten.
Several other officials were injured in the shooting and are currently receiving specialized medical treatment. The provincial government has asked health authorities to ensure that injured personnel are provided with the best possible medical facilities for speedy recovery.
Reaffirming the government’s stance against violent extremism, the spokesperson said disruptive elements would not be allowed to derail peace in Balochistan. He asserted that the state would deploy all its authority to counter hostile actors, adding that general operations would continue unabated until the threat of terrorism was entirely eliminated.
Terrorism is a growing problem in Pakistan, with the number of attacks increasing every year since 2022, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a global monitoring organization. ACLED data shows that attacks in Pakistan have almost quadrupled, from 658 in 2022 to 2,425 in 2025, and over the same period, attacks by banned militant Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan increased more than seven-fold, from 118 to 838.
Although Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has borne the brunt of terrorism, Balochistan has also remained a major target of Indian proxies, who often target civilians and military installations in the province.
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In one such attack on the last day of last year, terrorists targeted innocent civilians in Gwadar and Kharan districts, where 18 people, including women, children, elderly people and laborers, were martyred.
The security forces and law enforcers responded immediately and successfully thwarted the “evil designs” of the terrorists, killing 92 militants, while 15 security personnel were also martyred during the operation.
