'We will hunt you everywhere': DG ISPR briefs media on Balochistan security situation

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry is currently addressing a press conference.

The press briefing comes amid persisting security concerns in the country, particularly Balochistan.

The DG ISPR said he would provide details of the recent terrorist incidents in Balochistan and inform about the background of those.

He noted that there have been “three major terrorist incidents” in the past four days.

The first took place on July 4/July 5 when “Fitna al Khawarij terrorists attacked the innocent local population” in Hanna Urak, he said, adding that the residents fought back very valiantly and “forced those terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna Al Khwarij to flee”.

The Pakistani government uses the term “Fitna al-Khawarij” to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates.

“During that, four brave innocent citizens were martyred and six were injured,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said.

Detailing the second incident, he recalled that FAK terrorists carried out a “multidirectional attack” on a police checkpost, which guards Pumping Station No.3 of Mangi Dam in Ziarat, FAK terrorists carried out a “multidirectional attack”.

He stated that the policemen stood their ground and fought back and in “that fight, 15 kharji were sent to hell”, while nine policemen laid down their lives.

The DG ISPR noted that reinforcements of the army and the Frontier Corps were immediately dispatched, but “before they could reach, the terrorists took the remaining police officials and took them hostage”.

“Once the forces reached over there, there were at least 15 bodies of kharji left,” he said, highlighting that the cops were all locals.

Lt Gen Chaudhry recalled that the FC, army personnel and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) “kept on engaging them and started surrounding them”.

“We were very careful because of the collateral damage not to use any aerial assets because they had taken our youth hostage,” he said.

The DG ISPR revealed that 18 security personnel were martyred as engagement with terrorists continued in the “mountains of Ziarat since July 6”.

“During this time, several khariji were killed as well, and once they knew that the net around them has been absolutely tightened, these cowards, low-lives martyred 18 brave personnel of Balochistan. They did that today,” he said.

Earlier this week, at least nine policemen, including two station house officers (SHOs), were martyred in a terrorist attack on a police post in Balochistan’s Ziarat district. Fifteen terrorists were killed in a clearance operation initiated following the attack.

More to follow