Army vows to not let ‘hard-earned successes’ against terrorism be wasted in wake of Balochistan attacks

The military’s top brass on Tuesday vowed not to let “hard-earned successes” against terrorism go wasted in the wake of recent attacks in Balochistan.

In the latest flare-up of violence, dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) — a separatist outfit — launched numerous attacks last week across Balochistan, targeting security personnel as well as civilians.

At least 50 people, including 14 security men, lost their lives as militants went on a rampage across the province, storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles. In response, security forces neutralised 21 militants.

Among those killed were 23 people in Musakhail, mostly labourers from Punjab, who were offloaded from trucks and vans and shot dead after an identity check.

A press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued today said Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir presided over the Corps Commanders’ Conference at the General Headquarters to discuss the prevailing geo-strategic environment, national security challenges, and strategic and operational responses to emerging threats.

“In assessing the inimical forces, malicious actors, subversive proxies, and the facilitators of Pakistan’s external and internal adversaries, particularly those active in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the forum deliberated on a range of measures to neutralise these threats.

“The forum reaffirmed that the Pakistan Army, with the unwavering support of the people, will not allow the hard-earned successes against terrorism to be reversed,” the ISPR said.

It added that recognising the “urgency and significance of a robust and effective legal system”, the army chief stressed that the army would continue to extend “comprehensive support to the government, administrative apparatus and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in taking swift and lawful action against terrorists, anarchists, and criminal mafias”.

The military officers also “expressed satisfaction over ongoing efforts against illegal spectrum operating in collusion with terrorist networks” and underscored the “critical need” to safeguard national cyberspace through “stringent cybersecurity measures”.

The forum’s participants paid tribute to martyrs from the armed forces, LEAs, and citizenry who “laid down their lives in Balochistan and KP in pursuit of peace and stability of Pakistan”.

The army brass emphasised that the military was a “disciplined institution, upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and loyalty” to the state and itself.

“The institution’s well-established and rigorous system of accountability ensures that these values are preserved with unwavering commitment, allowing no room for exceptions or partiality. This strict adherence to accountability fortifies the army’s integrity, ensuring that no individual is above the law or exempt from scrutiny.”

The conference’s participants also expressed solidarity with Kashmiris and honoured the resistance fighters and martyrs in Indian-occupied Kashmir while also strongly condemning the “blatant continued violence and genocide of Palestinians by Israel”.

The ISPR said the huddle expressed confidence in the military’s operational preparedness and readiness and vowed to continue to “uphold the standards in pursuit of professional excellence”.

Terrorist attacks surge to 59 in August from 38 in July

The country continues to experience increased terrorist attacks as a total of 59 terrorist attacks occurred across the country in August 2024 compared to 38 such attacks in July.

These incidents included 29 attacks in KP, 28 in Balochistan, and two in Punjab, killing 84 people and 166 others injured, according to the digital database of security incidents managed by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), an Islamabad-based think-tank.

Balochistan experienced 28 terrorist incidents during August 2024, which resulted in 57 deaths and injuries to another 84 people. Most of these terrorism-related casualties in the province resulted from the banned BLA-orchestrated attacks on August 26 in over seven districts of the province targeting security forces, non-Baloch people (mainly Punjabis), and national infrastructure.

In KP, 29 terrorist attacks took place, claiming 25 lives and wounding 80 others. The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, Lashkar-i-Islam, Islamic State-Khorasan, and a few local Taliban groups reportedly carried out these attacks.

Meanwhile, two reported attacks from Punjab injured two civilians; two of the attackers were also killed. Security forces and the counterterrorism departments of the police conducted 12 anti-militant operations in the country in August compared to 11 in July.

In these operations, 88 militants were killed and 15 army soldiers and three policemen martyrdom. Eight out of the 12 reported operations took place in KP, while four others took place in Balochistan.

Of the total 28 attacks recorded in Balochistan in August this year, 26 were carried out by the BLA, including the group’s extensive terrorist onslaught on August 26.

PIPS in its monthly security report said that the armed group has escalated its destructive activities, executing high-impact attacks and using female suicide bombers.

On August 26, the anniversary of Baloch chieftain Nawab Akbar Bugti’s death, the group launched coordinated attacks across Balochistan.

The report underlines that the involvement of numerous militants and the use of sophisticated weaponry including vehicle-borne explosives, indicate the BLA’s growing capabilities.

The group has adopted new tactics, such as targeting Punjabis on highways by checking identity cards — a development that may further strain relations between the province and the central government, which seems to be one of the banned entity’s objectives.

Positioning itself as a defender of Baloch interests, the BLA exploits grievances like enforced disappearances and resource exploitation. As the Baloch people lose faith in the political process, the group may gain more support.