ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces have successfully concluded a majorintelligence-based counter-terrorism campaign codenamed OperationRadd-ul-Fitna-1 in Balochistan, resulting in the elimination of 216terrorists described by military authorities as Indian-sponsored elementsresponsible for recent violence targeting civilians.
The operation was launched in direct response to a deadly series ofcoordinated attacks that struck multiple locations across Balochistan onJanuary 31, temporarily paralyzing normal life in several districts andcausing widespread fear among residents. Military spokespersons stated thatthe assaults deliberately targeted soft civilian targets including markets,transport routes and public gatherings in an attempt to derail ongoingdevelopment and peace efforts.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the days-long clearanceactions involved meticulously planned, swift and joint operations executedby Pakistan Army units, law enforcement agencies and intelligence services.Officials emphasized that actionable intelligence played the decisive rolein locating high-value targets, terrorist hideouts and weapon caches acrossrugged mountainous and desert terrain characteristic of the province.
The ISPR press release issued on Thursday confirmed that as a directoutcome of these engagements 216 terrorists were neutralized, deliveringwhat military officials termed a severe blow to the leadership hierarchy,command-and-control infrastructure and overall operational capacity ofseveral terrorist networks operating under foreign patronage. The statementexplicitly accused Indian state elements of sponsoring, financing anddirecting these groups with the strategic objective of destabilizingPakistan.
Tragically the operations came at a heavy human cost. Thirty-six innocentcivilians, among them women and children, lost their lives and weredeclared martyrs during the intense fighting and related terrorist actions.The civilian casualties occurred mainly in areas where terroristsdeliberately positioned themselves among populated zones, using residentsas human shields to complicate security force responses.
In addition twenty-two brave personnel from the security forces and lawenforcement agencies embraced martyrdom while conducting clearance missionsand defending Pakistani citizens. Their sacrifices, according to ISPR,underscore the unwavering resolve of state institutions to protectterritorial integrity and restore sustainable peace in one of the country’smost strategically important yet historically challenged regions.
Military analysts note that Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1 represents one of thelargest single-campaign body counts reported in Balochistan in recentyears, surpassing several previous localized operations in both scale andgeographic spread. The figure of 216 eliminated militants suggests thecampaign successfully targeted mid- and senior-level operatives who hadevaded earlier focused strikes.
Defence observers point out that the timing of the January 31 attacks andthe subsequent large-scale response coincide with renewed national focus oneconomic corridors, Gwadar port development and China-Pakistan EconomicCorridor phase-II projects. Disruption of these initiatives has repeatedlybeen cited in official briefings as a principal motive behind externallysponsored militancy in the province.
The ISPR statement highlighted seamless coordination among different stateorgans as a key factor behind the operation’s success. Joint intelligencefusion, real-time information sharing and synchronized tactical executionwere repeatedly praised in the release, reflecting institutional learningaccumulated from two decades of combating multiple terrorist networksacross the country.
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Local administration sources in Balochistan indicated that post-operationclearance and consolidation activities are currently underway. Theseinclude verification of killed militants through available biometric anddocumentary evidence, destruction of recovered arms caches and initiationof rehabilitation measures for affected civilian families who sufferedlosses during the campaign.
Security officials maintained that the conclusion of OperationRadd-ul-Fitna-1 does not signify the end of counter-terrorism efforts inthe province but rather marks a significant degradation of current threatlevels. They vowed continued vigilance and proactive operations to preventregrouping or resurgence of terrorist elements allegedly enjoying externalsupport.
Public reaction within Pakistan has largely been supportive of the militaryaction, with many commentators describing the reported results as necessaryto safeguard national development gains and civilian security. At the sametime rights organizations have called for transparent investigation intocivilian casualties and adherence to rules of engagement during futureoperations.
The operation’s outcome is likely to feature prominently in upcomingdiplomatic communications, particularly in forums where Pakistan hasconsistently raised the issue of cross-border sponsorship of terrorism.Defence ministry sources indicated that dossiers containing evidence offoreign linkages are continuously updated and shared with relevantinternational partners.
Source: https://www.ispr.gov.pk/press-release-detail.php?id=7123
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