RAWALPINDI(National Times)- Security forces have eliminated 49 terrorists in separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Friday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), “over the last few days, security forces conducted a series of high-tempo joint intelligence-driven operations along with police, as part of relentless counter-terrorism campaign aimed at eliminating Indian proxies, Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan”.
The state uses the term Fitna al-Khawarij for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and refers to designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al-Hindustan to highlight India’s role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.
ISPR said that the operations resulted in “major successes, inflicting significant blows to the terrorist networks” with the elimination of 49 terrorists.
In KP, at least 12 terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij were killed in Bannu, North Waziristan, Orakzai and Khyber districts in “high-tempo” intelligence-based operations.
ISPR added that explosives, IED detonating remotes, weapons, ammunition and motorcycles were recovered from the slain terrorists and subsequently destroyed.
While in Balochistan, ISPR said 37 terrorists of the Fitna al-Hindustan were eliminated in ten IBOs in Mastung, Mach, Khuzdar, and Panjgur districts.
“A significant quantity of weapons, explosive drums and remote detonation equipment were seized and destroyed,” it added.
ISPR said that security forces remained “resolute and unwavering” in defending the nation’s frontiers.
“Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored Kharji/ terrorist found in the area,” the statement read, adding that “relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision “Azm e Istehkam” (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement carried by state broadcaster PTV, paid tribute to security forces for the successful operations in KP and Balochistan.
He said Pakistan remained “determined to eradicate terrorism completely”.
President Asif Ali Zardari also lauded security forces for their efforts, vowing that externally sponsored terrorism will “never succeed in harming the country’s peace and stability,” as per a statement issued by his office.
“Operations will continue with full force until the complete elimination of terrorism,” he was quoted as saying.
“The day is not far when the people of Balochistan and KP will be rid of terrorism and peace, national development, and prosperity will be restored,” the statement quoted him as saying.
On August 12, security forces eliminated 18 terrorists in Balochistan’s Surab district while on Aug 9, 15 terrorists were killed in multiple IBOs in several areas of Balochistan. Two days before that, the military’s media affairs wing said that 10 terrorists were killed in two separate engagements in KP.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank, violence linked to terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism operations intensified sharply in July, making it the deadliest month of 2026, with 112 security personnel among 205 people killed.
According to the report, the security situation deteriorated most significantly in Balochistan, where the overall death toll increased by 241 per cent, from 109 in June to 372 in July, followed closely by mainland KP, which recorded 154 deaths in July, compared with 75 in June, representing an increase of 105pc.
