Five terrorists eliminated in Pishin intelligence-based operation: ISPR

Security forces neutralised five terrorists, including a suicide bomber, during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Pishin district on Sunday.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation targeted a “tashkeel” (formation) of Fitna al-Khawarij, an Indian-sponsored proxy. During an intense exchange of fire, one suicide bomber detonated himself, while four other terrorists were killed by security forces, it said, adding that a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the site.

The military’s media wing stated that the neutralised terrorists had been involved in numerous terrorist activities in the region. A sanitisation operation is currently underway to ensure the area is cleared of any remaining threats, it added.

The ISPR reaffirmed that the relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” vision will continue until the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism is eradicated.

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President, PM laud security personnel

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces for their successful operation against Fitna al-Khawarij in Pishin district.

The president stated that the intelligence-based operation against the Indian proxy group reflects the national resolve against terrorism. He reaffirmed that the war against the menace of terrorism will continue until its complete eradication.

In a separate statement, the prime minister noted that under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam, security forces are achieving significant successes against terrorism. He stated that the entire nation stands with the Pakistan Armed Forces in this struggle and remains committed to the total elimination of all forms of terrorism from the country.

After a marked decline in violence in December 2025, the start of the new year saw resurgence in terrorist attacks, resulting in increased fatalities among militants, civilians, and security personnel, according to figures released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

The report disclosed that combat-related deaths in January 2026 rose by 43percent compared to December 2025. In January, 242 militants were killed, along with 73 civilians and 46 members of the security forces. In addition, 12 militants were injured, while at least 71 civilians and 52 security personnel sustained injuries.

The PICSS reported that January saw 87 militant attacks nationwide, marking a 28percent increase from the 68 attacks recorded in December 2025. Of these, 38 attacks took place in mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 20 in the province’s tribal districts (erstwhile Fata), and 27 in Balochistan and two in Punjab.

READ MORE: Afghan border closure brings down terrorist violence by almost 17%: report

Balochistan emerged as the primary theatre of militant activity, as well as, security operations. The province reported the highest monthly militant toll since the current wave of militancy began there in 2001.

While Balochistan remained relatively peaceful for most of the month, a sharp surge in violence during the final two days drew attention to the province. Coordinated attacks by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on at least 12 locations, followed by intensified security operations, highlighted the escalation.

Compared to the previous month, the civilian deaths increased by 143 percent, militant deaths by 35 percent and security force fatalities by 7 percent.

At least 53 suspected militants were arrested, 48 of them from Lahore. No militant attacks were reported in January from Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad or Gilgit-Baltistan.

A senior security expert affiliated with a reputable Islamabad-based university told Business Recorder that the success of counter-terrorism operations cannot be assessed in black-and-white terms, as it invariably falls within a grey area. Counter-terrorism operations are effective in neutralising short-term threats. The capability of personnel of our Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to carry out Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs) is growing day by day. For instance, in 2021, Pakistan was losing 37percent LEAs’ personnel. In 2025, Pakistan lost only around 16percent LEAs’ personnel compared to 67percent of terrorists. The numbers are self-explanatory. Notwithstanding, in the long run, the ongoing operations are of limited utility. “The need of the hour to maximise the utility of the operations is to take communities onboard, the security expert said, requesting anonymity.

He said that terrorists inside Pakistan have been weakened to a greater extent. Pakistan successfully eliminated more than 3500 militants in 2025, which can be termed a great success. He explained that the reason for the continued threat is straightforward. The Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Qaeda, Islamic Stat-Khorasan Province (ISKP), and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) are living in safe havens in Afghanistan. It must be stated unequivocally that the Afghan Taliban TTP, Al-Qaeda, ISKP, ETIM and other similar outfits are terrorist organisations, with no meaningful distinction among them. When such groups are in power, they provide sanctuary to their ideological counterparts. Terrorists are being recruited, trained, and equipped in Afghanistan and, after completing their training, cross the border to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.