DID Press: Pakistan’s military says it has carried out more than 40,000 counterterrorism operations in the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as security forces intensify efforts against militant groups operating across the country’s western regions.
Speaking at a press briefing, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the armed forces had conducted an average of 194 operations per day since the beginning of the year. He added that 2,084 militants had been killed during the same period, while 819 people lost their lives in militant attacks, including 303 security personnel and 322 civilians.
Chaudhry said militants “have no option but surrender or destruction” and reiterated that Pakistan would not negotiate with groups it classifies as terrorist organizations.
The military spokesperson also accused the Taliban administration in Afghanistan of supporting the group Pakistan refers to as Fitna al-Khawarij—a term used by Pakistani authorities for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He further alleged that Afghan nationals had been involved in several recent bomb attacks, without providing supporting evidence.
Addressing the security situation in Balochistan, Chaudhry said the military would engage directly with local communities rather than influential tribal landowners. He also alleged that militant groups, with support from India, had shifted their focus to attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure after failing to achieve their objectives through direct confrontation.