Joint Operation Targets Terrorists in Shaban Area
Security forces have intensified a major counterterrorism operation in the Shaban area of Quetta district after the deadly attack on a police post near Mangi Dam.
Officials said the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and police are jointly taking part in the operation. The operation was launched after terrorists attacked the Mangi Dam pumping station police post and killed 27 police personnel.
According to officials, nine police personnel, including two station house officers, were martyred during the initial attack. Eighteen other policemen were taken away at gunpoint. Their bodies were later recovered from the Zarghoon Gar mountainous area.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said that 39 terrorists had been killed during Operation Shaban. He added that the total number of terrorists killed in operations since July 5 had risen to 75.
Security officials said 26 terrorists were eliminated on July 6 and July 7. Thirteen more were killed during a heavy exchange of fire in the mountainous Shaban area over the last 24 hours.
Khuzdar Police Station Attack Foiled
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also said terrorists attempted to attack a police station in the Zedi area of Khuzdar district on Friday morning.
Security officials said the attack was foiled after Army and Frontier Corps troops immediately launched an operation. At least eight terrorists were killed during the response.
Officials added that six more terrorists were killed in a helicopter-backed operation in the area.
The developments come as security forces continue a wider combing operation across difficult mountainous terrain. Officials said the operation covers more than 300 square kilometres of rugged area, where narrow routes, high mountains and deep crevices make movement difficult.
Police authorities said reinforcements had faced distant firing and possible ambush threats while moving toward the Mangi Dam post. They added that the geography of the area made close-range engagements more likely and limited visibility for security personnel.
Parliamentary Panel to Visit Quetta
Separately, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control has decided to hold a special meeting in Quetta to review the law and order situation in Balochistan.
The decision was made during the committee’s 28th meeting at Parliament House. The meeting was chaired by MNA Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz.
Security issues in Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were discussed during the session. Some members suggested an in-camera briefing in Islamabad. However, the committee agreed that visiting Quetta would provide members with direct insight into the ground situation.
The committee said firsthand information would help lawmakers prepare stronger recommendations for the federal government.
Police authorities have also rejected social media reports claiming that 30 Ziarat policemen resigned after the Mangi Dam attack. Officials called the reports fake and fabricated.
A police spokesman said no personnel had submitted resignations after the attack. Newly appointed Ziarat SP Abdul Malik also said all police personnel in the district were performing their duties at their assigned locations.
Police officials said the Mangi Dam attack was tragic but added that police personnel fought bravely. They said false material was being spread on social media and stressed that facts must be presented responsibly.
Authorities said the operation will continue until the area is cleared and those involved in the attack are brought to justice.
