Five soldiers, including army major, martyred during operation against militants in Balochistan
By Tahir Shah :
Pakistan’s security forces killed seven suspected militants during an operation in Balochistan, while five military personnel, including an army major, lost their lives in an exchange of fire in Barkhan district, according to the military on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations said personnel from the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps launched a sanitisation operation in the Nosham area of Barkhan on 13 May after receiving intelligence regarding the presence of militants linked to what it described as “Fitna al-Hindustan”.
The military said troops located and engaged a group of militants during the operation, leading to an intense gun battle in which seven suspected fighters were killed. Security forces also recovered weapons, ammunition and explosives from the site, according to the statement.
However, five members of the security forces were killed during the fighting. The dead included Major Tauseef Ahmed Bhatti, 31, from Pakpattan, along with Naik Fida Hussain, 36, from Sukkur, Sepoy Zakir Hussain, 32, from Skardu, Sepoy Suhail Ahmed, 21, from Khanewal, and Sepoy Muhammad Ayaz, 24, from Rahim Yar Khan.
The military said clearance operations were continuing in the area to eliminate any remaining militants.
Pakistan’s armed forces stated that counterterrorism operations under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” strategy would continue across the country in an effort to eradicate what authorities describe as foreign-sponsored militancy.
Pakistan has witnessed a renewed surge in militant violence in recent years, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused armed groups of using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan and has urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to take action against militant organisations operating near the border. Afghan authorities, however, have denied allowing their territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan.
Relations between the two countries have remained tense despite several rounds of negotiations and temporary ceasefire arrangements reached after border clashes in recent years.
Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq earlier this year following a deterioration in cross-border security conditions. Officials say the operation is part of broader efforts to strengthen border security and intensify action against militant networks.
Following the Barkhan operation, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the slain soldiers and praised the security forces for carrying out the operation.
In separate statements, the leaders commended the courage and professionalism of the troops involved and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.
President Zardari said the sacrifices made by security personnel for the country’s peace and security would always be remembered, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the fallen soldiers as “sons of the soil” who had set an enduring example of loyalty and sacrifice.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the soldiers had fought bravely against militants and prevented attacks aimed at destabilising the country. He described the slain personnel as a source of national pride and said their sacrifices strengthened Pakistan’s resolve against militancy.
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