Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti announced Sunday that at least 145 terrorists were killed in nearly 40 hours during intelligence-based operations launched after militants carried out coordinated attacks in 12 towns across the province.
Addressing a press conference in Quetta, Bugti said the attackers belonged to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and had attempted to destabilize the region through synchronized acts of violence.
“We will not surrender — not even for a second. They can try to destabilise us, but they cannot take a single inch of our country,” the chief minister declared.
Authorities confirmed that the bodies of 145 militants are now in state custody, indicating the scale of the security response.
Civilian and Security Losses
The chief minister confirmed that 17 security personnel and 31 civilians were martyred in the wave of attacks.
Among the most tragic incidents was the killing of five women and three children in Gwadar. Bugti said the victims belonged to a Baloch family originally from Khuzdar, describing the attack as an act of brutality against innocent citizens.
He added that the provincial government would take responsibility for the welfare and education of the children of martyrs.
Intelligence-Based Operations, Not Large-Scale Force
Bugti revealed that security forces had prior intelligence about the planned attacks and had launched operations a day earlier based on those reports.
Rejecting claims of indiscriminate force, he stressed that:
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Operations were targeted and intelligence-driven
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Militants often hide among civilian populations
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Heavy weapons such as mortars were deliberately not used to avoid collateral damage
“The perception that large-scale force is being used in Balochistan is incorrect,” he said. “We are conducting small, precise operations because we refuse to become brutal like them.”
He confirmed that Nushki had been fully cleared and that militants had failed in attempts to breach high-security zones.
No Talks With Armed Groups
Bugti accused India of backing proxy networks to destabilise Pakistan, questioning whether the BLA could be considered a political force eligible for dialogue.
“Is the BLA a registered political party that we should negotiate with?” he asked. “They want to impose their ideology with guns.”
He rejected narratives that violence in Balochistan is solely linked to deprivation, saying terror networks exploit local grievances while being externally supported.
“Prepared for a Long War”
The chief minister struck a defiant tone, saying the government would pursue militants relentlessly.
“Our blood is not cheap. Those responsible will not escape,” Bugti warned, adding that the province would ultimately be steered toward peace through dialogue with citizens, tribal elders, and jirgas — but not with armed groups.
He declared that Pakistan was fighting a proxy war in Balochistan and vowed that the fight against terrorism would continue for as long as necessary.
Interior Minister Echoes Accusations
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, speaking alongside Bugti a day earlier, also blamed India for the wave of attacks.
“These were not normal terrorists. India planned these attacks along with them,” Naqvi said, pledging to expose those responsible internationally.
He alleged that external actors were providing financial, logistical, and strategic support to militant networks operating inside Pakistan.
Security Situation
Officials say security operations are ongoing but major urban centres are now under control, with forces maintaining heightened vigilance to prevent further coordinated strikes.
The provincial leadership maintains that despite the violence, Balochistan will move toward stability and peace, combining security operations with political engagement at the community level.
