Over 2,000 terrorists killed in 2026 operations, no talks with terrorists: DG ISPR

Pakistan’s security forces conducted 40,348 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the country in 2026, killing 2,084 “verified” terrorists, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday, adding that there was no room for negotiations with terrorists.

Addressing a press briefing in Rawalpindi, the military spokesperson said the highest number of operations, 31,080, were carried out in Balochistan, followed by 7,177 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while 2,091 operations were conducted in the rest of the country.

He said 3,145 terrorist incidents were recorded during the period, including 1,971 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1,148 in Balochistan and 26 elsewhere in the country.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said the security forces eliminated 2,084 verified terrorists, averaging nearly 10 terrorists killed per day, which he described as the highest daily average recorded to date.

He said 819 Pakistanis were martyred during the year, including 303 military personnel, 194 law enforcement officials and 322 civilians.

The DG ISPR said 28 suicide bombings occurred during the period, adding that most of the suicide bombers were Afghan nationals.

He noted that 2023 was the first year in which the number of security personnel martyred exceeded the number of terrorists killed, but said security forces subsequently enhanced the effectiveness of their counterterrorism operations, leading to significant operational gains against terrorist groups.

Lt Gen Chaudhry ruled out any possibility of negotiations with terrorists, saying they must surrender before the state and face accountability under the law.

He reaffirmed that security forces would continue counterterrorism operations until terrorism was completely eradicated and said every possible measure would be taken to ensure lasting peace and stability in the country. “Either they will surrender or we will eradicate them,” he said.

The DG ISPR said we should not indulge in ethnical politics and prioritise the country over other things. “Politics exist due to the existence of the state,” he said.

Balochistan’s situation

The problem of Balochistan was its elites and sardars, he said. He also criticised elitism in the province, saying some Baloch leaders sought appeasement from the state and demanded to talk to them for curbing terrorism.

The ISPR director general said the impression was being promoted that the situation in Balochistan was continuously deteriorating, but the ground realities were different.

“A negative perception is being created about Balochistan, whereas the real issues are terrorism, elitism and the tribal Sardari system,” he said.

These elements were involved in smuggling under the guise of business, he said, adding, “And if you stop this, there is terrorism. They promote terrorism and say Balochistan is getting out of hand. They demand that permits are issued. They also get a share from the budget. But no more now”.

He said Pakistan was not currently a “hard state.” According to him, a hard state does not mean one governed by the armed forces; rather, it means a state where the Constitution and the rule of law are enforced equally for everyone, with no exceptions.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said there was no room for elitism in a hard state. He added that if all affairs were conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law, Pakistan could become a true hard state.

The military officer said smuggled diesel was being brought into the country and sold at several times its original price, while attempts were also being made to exploit Balochistan’s strategic location and abundant natural resources. “Allah has blessed Balochistan with immense natural wealth, but certain tribal leaders want to preserve an exploitative system,” he said.

He said India and Afghanistan shared one common factor: the sponsorship of terrorism. He added that narratives of deprivation, lack of political representation, and the issue of missing persons were also being used as propaganda tools.

The DG ISPR said Gwadar, a city of nearly 350,000 people, now had three universities, reflecting the region’s educational progress. Similarly, he talked about Turbat and other cities, saying they had scores of educational institutes so the narrative of lack of facilities holds no importance.

He shared data about facilities in different parts of Balochistan and stated that the province’s per capita budget was more than Rs75,000, more than any other province.

Missing persons

On missing person, he said when a list of missing persons was compiled a commission throughout the country, it turned out that most of the cases had been disposed of as either the alleged missing persons had returned home, in jail custody, died or misreported missing case.

“Out of 10,901 total cases in the country, only 2,933 cases were reported in Balochistan and 2,767 of them have been traced back. It leaves 166 remaining. These are the people who are identified when killed in exchange of firing with security forces in Gwadar, Jivani, Turbat or other cities,” he added.

If the terrorist organisation BLA provided list of those in its camp, the missing persons would be found, he said.

Good governance

To a query regarding Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s statement that the governance has failed in Pakistan, the military spokesperson said he could not comment on the interior minister’s remarks.

However, he said, good governance is key to security and stability of Pakistan. Without good governance you cannot resolve the issues, he added.

Referring to the National Action Plan, he said all the points mentioned in this required good governance. “Yes, the good governance is quite essential for Pakistan. How to get the good governance is for the political parties to decide,” he said, adding that there has to be a serious discussion to resolve those matters. That meant that something should be done for good governance, he maintained.

“If that good governance requires an administrative reset, then let this happen. But it has to be done through the constitutional method, legal method and through the political representatives and as per the will of the people of Pakistan,” he said.

ISPR Director General Chaudhry further said that the Afghan Taliban regime and India shared the same mindset, adding that the people of Afghanistan had no connection with the Taliban regime. He said the Taliban may appear to be Muslims in appearance, but not in conduct. Referring to the Holy Quran, he said Muslims were instructed not to befriend disbelievers, alleging that the Taliban were aligning themselves with “kuffar.” He described the relationship between India and the Taliban as that of “master and servant.”

He claimed the Taliban had always bowed to financial interests and added that Pakistan was well aware of the “DNA” of both India and the Taliban.

Kashmir issue

Speaking on Kashmir, Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistan and Kashmir were inseparable, adding that Kashmir “was and will always remain Pakistan’s jugular vein.” He said an oppressive system prevailed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), forcing people to move elsewhere. He added that Pakistan was founded in the name of Islam and described the country as the guardian of the Two Holy Mosques.

He said India had tried to buy off the Kashmiri leadership, but Kashmiris had proved they were “not for sale.” He added that voices from Kashmir still declared, “We are Pakistanis, and Pakistan is ours,” and said India had failed to suppress the spirit of the people in IIOJK.

The DG ISPR further alleged that India had turned IIOJK into “the world’s largest prison,” claiming residents could not travel to neighbouring villages without permission. He said India had failed to crush the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and alleged that incidents such as Pahalgam and Pulwama were “staged dramas,” claiming India had failed in its objectives each time and was now attempting a more subtle strategy.

He added that Kashmir was Pakistan’s “most cherished cause.” He alleged that India had sought to influence politics in Azad Jammu and Kashmir under the guise of rights, claiming there were efforts to argue that people from IIOJK should not have representation. He said the state had responded by proposing constitutional amendments to address such demands. He added that the “agenda behind the 12 seats” was becoming increasingly clear, noting that around 100,000 Kashmiris lived in what India described as occupied territory.

He also said two Pakistan Army corps commanders were Kashmiris, adding that soldiers, Kashmiris and Pakistanis had laid down their lives for the Kashmir cause.