Pakistani security forces claimed on Sunday (Feb 1) to have killed more than 100 “Indian-backed terrorists” during extensive counterterrorism operations across Balochistan. The country, however, did not provide any evidence supporting claims of Indian involvement with the slain militants. The operations followed a series of deadly coordinated suicide and gun attacks that killed dozens of civilians and security personnel a day earlier.
Sweeping Raids Follow Coordinated Attacks
According to reports, the raids commenced early Saturday (Jan 31) at various locations throughout the southwestern province of Balochistan, one day after coordinated suicide bombings and gun assaults claimed 33 lives, predominantly civilians.
Provincial authorities reported that the violence over the preceding 40 hours resulted in at least 18 civilian deaths, including five women and three children, alongside 15 security force members.
Government Labels Militants ‘Fitna Al-Hindustan’
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti told reporters in Quetta, as cited by ABC News, that Pakistani troops and police had killed 145 militants from what the government terms “Fitna al-Hindustan”—the designation used for the allegedly India-backed, banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
“The bodies of these 145 killed terrorists are in our custody, and some of them are Afghan nationals,” Bugti stated, characterizing the death toll as the highest recorded in decades.
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He alleged the attackers had intended to seize hostages and assault government offices in Quetta’s high-security zone but were intercepted before reaching the city centre. “We were aware of their plans, and our forces were prepared,” he said.
Accusations Against India And Afghanistan Lack Substantiation
Bugti repeatedly accused India and Afghanistan of supporting the attackers, claiming that senior BLA leaders were operating from Afghan territory. Both New Delhi and Kabul deny these allegations.
He stated that Afghanistan’s Taliban had committed under the 2020 Doha agreement not to permit Afghan soil to be used for attacks on other nations, but maintained that “unfortunately, the Afghan soil was still being used against Pakistan.”
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