Latest news with #Indian-backed
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
PM Shehbaz, Field Marshal Munir vow decisive action against Indian-sponsored proxies in Balochistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Sunday jointly addressed a Grand Jirga of tribal elders in Quetta, reaffirming the state's unwavering resolve to defeat terrorism and counter foreign-sponsored subversion, particularly in Balochistan. Speaking at the Zehri Auditorium, the premier condemned the intensified activities of Indian-backed proxies aimed at destabilising Balochistan, and warned that such hostile attempts would be met with decisive state action. 'Our message to the enemies of peace is clear: the government, armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and administrative apparatus, with full support of the Pakistani nation, will defeat terrorism in all its forms,' the Prime Minister stated. P The premier lauded the historical role of Balochistan's tribal elders in preserving national unity and called for continued grassroots engagement to deny space to terror outfits such as the so-called 'Fitna Al-Hindustan'. He also underscored the importance of ensuring that government-led development initiatives yield tangible benefits for the local population. Addressing the gathering, Field Marshal Munir described the ongoing violence in Balochistan as part of a 'blatant Indian-sponsored proxy war' and vowed to crush every element threatening Pakistan's sovereignty. 'We have concrete proof of India's hand in supporting terrorist networks in Balochistan. These nefarious efforts will be defeated by the Pakistan Army with the full support of the nation and the brave people of Balochistan,' he said. The COAS reiterated that peace in Balochistan is non-negotiable and directly linked to Pakistan's long-term stability. Both the prime minister and the COAS praised the bravery and sacrifices of the security forces and law enforcement agencies operating in the province. The prime minister assured continued state support to the families of martyrs and pledged zero tolerance for terror facilitators and abettors. The Jirga concluded with tribal elders pledging their full support to the state's security and development efforts. Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz also visited the Command and Staff College Quetta, where he addressed student officers and faculty. Stressing the need for operational readiness and strategic foresight, the PM emphasized the significance of professional military education in countering evolving hybrid threats, particularly in sensitive regions like Balochistan.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Govt official martyred in Surab terror siege
During the attack, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Hidayat Baloch Buledi stood his ground to protect others, ultimately sacrificing his life in the line of duty. PHOTO: Listen to article A senior district administration official was martyred after heavily armed terrorists, belonging to Fitna al Hindustan, launched a coordinated attack on a bank and the residences of government officers in Surab, Balochistan, officials said on Friday. Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the provincial government, and Hamza Shafqaat, the commissioner of Quetta, confirmed that Hidayatullah Buledi, the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of Surab district, was martyred while fighting the terrorists. Officials and witnesses stated that 20 to 30 terrorists of Fitna al Hindustan entered the market of Surab city on motorcycles in the evening and targeted soft civilian areas such as banks and markets. Ordinary Baloch women and children were also attacked in the market, they added. "Heavily armed militants launched a coordinated assault on a bank and the residences of senior government officers in Surab Bazaar," spokesperson Rind said in a statement. "The attackers looted the bank and set fire to several official residences," he added. During the attack, Rind said, ADC Revenue Hidayatullah Baloch Buledi was martyred while resisting the terrorists. He said that women and children were present in the ADC's residence at the time of the assault. However, despite the presence of his family members, Buledi stood firm against the attackers. He paid rich tribute to Buledi, saying that the ADC fought valiantly to protect Baloch children and women from the terrorists and ultimately laid down his life in the line of duty. "He has set a new example of bravery by sacrificing his life for the nation," Rind said. "Deputy Commissioner Surab compound was attacked. Unfortunately, Additional Deputy Commissioner Mr Hidayat Buledi embraced martyrdom. The attack was carried out by Fitna al Hindustan. Mr Buledi was a LUMS alumnus. Levies and other law enforcement agencies valiantly fought them back," Shafqaat tweeted. According to Rind, the attack was not a random act of violence but part of a calculated attempt to destabilise the province. "This operation was carried out by Indian-backed proxies. It is a clear effort to challenge the state's authority and spread fear," he asserted. "By targeting Baloch areas and Baloch women and children, Fitna al Hindustan has once again proven that these Indian-sponsored terrorists have no connection with Balochistan and Baloch traditions," the spokesperson stated. "Indian proxies have taken action on their orders." Security forces, including the Frontier Corps (FC), police and Levies, promptly reached the spot and launched a joint clearance operation. "Search and clearance operations are ongoing, and the enemies of peace will be brought to justice," the spokesperson said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the cowardly attack on innocent citizens, officers of the administration, and a bank by terrorists in Surab. He paid tribute to ADC Hidayatullah Buledi for embracing martyrdom while defending his area from terrorists. The prime minister expressed sympathy with the bereaved family members of the martyr. "ADC Hidayatullah Buledi set an example of bravery while fighting against the terrorists. The sympathies of the whole nation are with the family of the martyred," he said in a statement. Shehbaz said that terrorists had targeted innocent and unarmed citizens, including children and women. "The attack by cowardly terrorists on the citizens and their properties is openly and evidently reflective of their animosity towards the people and the progress of Balochistan," he said. "The war against terrorists will continue until their complete elimination from the country. The armed forces of Pakistan are working day and night to exterminate the proxies who are spreading terrorism in Pakistan under the patronage of India," the prime minister stated. "The whole nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in completely wiping out the elements involved in terrorism with the abetment of India." He directed that the persons involved in the incident be identified and given exemplary punishment. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)
Express Tribune
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Khuzdar school bus attack death toll rises to ten
The wreckage of a school bus destroyed in bomb blast in Khuzdar lies on a roadside. Photo: PPI Listen to article Two more students, Sheema Ibrahim and Muskan, embraced martyrdom while receiving treatment in Quetta, raising the number of students martyred in the recent terrorist attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan, to eight, according to security sources. In what authorities describe as an Indian-backed terrorist incident. Security officials confirmed that among those martyred are seven female students and one male student. On the day of the suicide bombing, Sania Soomro (Grade 6), Hafsa Kausar (Grade 7), and Ayesha Saleem (Grade 10) were among the first to embrace martyrdom. Later, Haider, Malaika, and Sehr Saleem were also martyred while receiving medical treatment, security officials said. According to the sources, the cowardly attack was planned and sponsored by the terrorist state of India. "The blood of these innocent children will not go unavenged. Those behind this — including the Indian handlers and their local agents — will be held accountable," security officials stated. During a press briefing in Rawalpindi on Friday DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry added that the attack was not just on a school bus, but an attack on our values, education, and the fabric of our society. 'Our response will be decisive. They will not succeed,' said the interior secretary. DG ISPR said that India-sponsored attackers have no humanity, morality, and Baloch or Pakistani identity, adding that India has been involved in state-sponsored terrorism for 20 years, destabilising regional peace. He pointed out that in 2009, Pakistan had presented a dossier to the United Nations with evidence of India's involvement in terrorist activities in Balochistan. He stressed that the Khuzdar incident was deeply tragic, carried out under India's orders, and that Fitna al-Hindustan is targeting innocent people, including children and travellers. The United Nations Security Council strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Khuzdar. In a statement, the Council extended its deepest condolences to the victims' families, the government of Pakistan, and the Pakistani people, while also wishing a swift recovery for the injured. The Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all forms poses a severe threat to international peace and security. It called for the accountability of the perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of such attacks, urging states to cooperate with Pakistan in bringing the responsible parties to justice.
Business Recorder
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Khuzdar incident an India-sponsored act: ISPR
ISLAMABAD: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday categorically stated that the recent deadly attack on a school bus in Khuzdar was an act of Indian state-sponsored terrorism and had nothing to do with Baloch identity. Speaking at a joint press conference here alongside Interior Secretary Capt Khurram Muhammad Agha (retired), the military spokesperson reiterated Pakistan's longstanding stance that India has been orchestrating terror activities inside Pakistan. The tragic incident occurred on May 21 when a bomb targeted a school bus carrying children to the Army Public School in Khuzdar Cantonment. The blast, which took place near Zero Point on the Quetta-Karachi Highway, claimed six lives— three of them students— and injured over 40 others. Lt Gen Chaudhry said initial findings confirmed the attack followed a familiar pattern of cross-border terrorism facilitated by Indian intelligence agencies. 'This was not an act of local resistance or related to Baloch identity. It was pure Indian provocation.' He alleged that the Indian social media ecosystem affiliated with RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) had posted hints of the attack before it occurred— similar to what was observed before the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in March and the attempted assassination of the Chinese envoy in Karachi last October. He also linked the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other banned groups under the umbrella term Fitnah al Hindustan to New Delhi's intelligence apparatus. 'We have irrefutable evidence,' he stated, pointing out that India's proxy groups had issued statements pledging to serve as the 'military arm' of India on Pakistan's western front in exchange for political and military support. Interior Secretary Agha condemned the school bus bombing as an attack on Pakistan's values and future. 'This was an attack on our education, on our children, and on the very fabric of our society.' He said that the Indian-backed terror networks, having failed against hard targets, have now shifted to targeting civilians and soft infrastructure, particularly in Balochistan. Both officials underlined that this recent incident is part of a broader Indian campaign to destabilise Pakistan through non-state actors, especially as the state has intensified operations and border control measures. The DG ISPR noted that over 93,000 counterterrorism operations have been conducted nationwide in the past year and a half, resulting in the elimination of more than 200 terrorists in Balochistan in the first five months of 2025 alone. Lt Gen Chaudhry also took strong exception to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), stating that the group's narrative has been manipulated by external actors. He urged the media to expose the links in this regard. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Death toll from Khuzdar bombing rises to eight
A female student, Malaika, critically wounded in a recent school bus attack in Khuzdar has died from her wounds, security officials said on Friday, bringing the death toll to eight, including six school children, in what authorities describe as an Indian-backed terrorist incident. The deceased include five female students and one male student, security sources confirmed, adding that the blood of these innocent children will be avenged, and that the Indian-backed instigators would be held accountable. The suicide attack targeting a school bus in Khuzdar was carried out on Wednesday morning this week. The suspected bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the school bus as it drove past Zero Point near Rakhshan Hotel, Deputy Commissioner Yasir Iqbal Dashti said, adding that the bus was ferrying students to the Army Public School situated within the Khuzdar cantonment. The vehicle was rigged with more than 30 kilograms of explosives, according to the Bomb Disposal Squad. The military's media wing, Inter-Service Public relations (ISPR), had confirmed that cowardly and ghastly attack was planned and orchestrated by the terrorist state of India and executed by its proxies in Balochistan. The attack sparked an outpouring of condemnation and condolences from the country's top civil and military leadership.
