CM Bugti warns extremists turning to organized crime, promises large-scale response through intelligence-led operations
Security forces successfully foiled a major terrorist attack in Kharan, Balochistan, killing 12 militants, military media reported on Friday. Mine clearance and search operations continue in the area to eliminate any remaining threats.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), around 15-20 terrorists affiliated with the Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Hindustan group carried out several attacks in Kharan.
The targets included Kharan Town Police Station, National Bank of Pakistan and Habib Bank Limited. During the assault, the militants looted Rs 3.4 million from banks. The attackers intended to create a hostage situation at the police station, but the rapid and effective response of security forces thwarted their plans.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti praised the Frontier Corps for its quick action, confirming that one civilian was injured during the operation and is being treated at the Combined Military Hospital. He said security forces killed four militants immediately in three locations, while the remaining attackers were eliminated in subsequent clashes.
Bugti noted that such incidents indicate a worrying trend, with extremist elements increasingly shifting from ideological activities to organized criminal acts, including bank robberies.
He stressed that “every time they take to the streets, they will be beaten, and every time they try to hide in their holes, we will pursue and defeat them through Intelligence Based Operations (IBO). He described this as a “response mechanism”, now fully operational, based on intelligence shared by local communities.
The CM also expressed concerns over digital infrastructure in remote areas. He questioned the installation of mobile internet towers in sparsely populated areas such as Sangan, warning that unmonitored 4G networks could create security vulnerabilities. He sought clarification on who authorized these facilities and warned that these facilities could be exploited by hostile elements to target law enforcement and undermine state security.
At the same briefing in Quetta, Bugti announced a major provincial initiative worth Rs 3 billion to expand optical fiber connectivity across Balochistan. The project aims to connect schools, colleges, universities and hospitals via fiber optic cables, ensuring wider internet access while maintaining monitoring to prevent misuse.
Bugti also highlighted the broader regional context, linking the recent increase in security concerns to developments following the Taliban’s capture of Kabul in 2021. Citing official figures from military authorities, he noted that law enforcement agencies conducted more than 75,000 intelligence operations across Pakistan in 2025, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,500 terrorists.
The ISPR confirmed that clearance operations are continuing in Kharan and surrounding areas to eliminate all Indian-sponsored militants. Under the National Action Plan and the ‘Azm-e-Istihkam’ vision endorsed by the federal government, the security forces and law enforcement agencies remain engaged in counter-terrorism operations until foreign-sponsored terrorism is completely eradicated from Pakistan, he asserted.
