CM Bugti Warns Extremists Targeting Organized Crime, Pledges Large-Scale Response Through Intelligence-Based Operations
Security forces successfully foiled a major terror attack in Kharan, Balochistan, killing 12 militants, the army’s media wing reported on Friday. Clearance and search operations continue in the area to eliminate any remaining threats.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), approximately 15 to 20 terrorists affiliated with the Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Hindustan group carried out multiple attacks in Kharan.
The targets included Kharan City Police Station, National Bank of Pakistan and Habib Bank Limited. During the assault, the militants looted Rs 3.4 million from the banks. The attackers intended to create a hostage situation at the police station, but the rapid and effective response of the security forces thwarted their plans.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti praised the Frontier Corps for its quick action and confirmed 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 at three locations, while the remaining attackers were eliminated in subsequent clashes.
Bugti noted that these incidents indicate a worrying trend, in which extremist elements are increasingly moving from ideological activities to organized criminal acts, including bank robberies.
He emphasized that “when they take to the streets they will be beaten, and every time they try to hide in their holes we will pursue them and defeat them through Intelligence Based Operations (IBO).” He described this as the “response mechanism”, now fully operational based on intelligence shared by local communities.
The CM also expressed concern over digital infrastructure in remote areas. He questioned the installation of mobile Internet towers in sparsely populated regions like Sangan, warning that uncontrolled 4G networks could create security vulnerabilities. He sought clarification as to who authorized these facilities and warned that such facilities could be exploited by hostile elements to attack law enforcement and undermine state security.
At the same briefing in Quetta, Bugti announced a major provincial initiative worth Rs 3,000 crore to expand fiber optic connectivity across Balochistan. The project aims to connect schools, colleges, universities and hospitals through fiber optic cables, ensuring broader access to the Internet and maintaining supervision to prevent misuse.
Bugti also highlighted the broader regional context, linking the recent rise in security challenges to developments following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. Citing official figures from military authorities, he noted that law enforcement agencies carried out more than 75,000 intelligence-based operations across Pakistan in 2025, resulting in the killing of more than 2,500 terrorists.
The ISPR confirmed that clearance operations are continuing in Kharan and surrounding areas to eliminate the remaining Indian-sponsored militants. As per the National Action Plan and the federally approved vision ‘Azm-e-Istihkam’, security forces and law enforcement agencies remain committed to counter-terrorism operations until foreign sponsored terrorism is completely eradicated from Pakistan, he maintained.
