QUETTA: Pakistan's security forces killed four militants in an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan province and lost an army major to a roadside bomb in a separate clearance operation, the military's media wing said.
The Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement that forces conducted the operation in the Jatak Abad area of Kalat district, targeting a militant hideout. After an intense exchange of fire, four militants were killed and a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered, it said.
In a separate operation, security forces carried out clearance operations in the Shadi Kor area of Pasni in Gwadar district, where Major Wajahat Waheed, 34, was killed when an improvised explosive device struck him, the ISPR said. Search and clearance operations were ongoing to eliminate possible militants in the area, it said.
The statement referred to the militants as members of "Fitna al-Hindustan" and "Khawarij," terms Pakistani officials use for armed groups they say are sponsored by India. It described them as a threat to the local population and said the four killed were "Indian-sponsored terrorists."
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces for the operations and to Major Waheed, saying the officer "sacrificed his life for the protection of our beloved homeland" and that "the nation is proud of its brave son." He expressed condolences to the officer's family and prayed for the elevation of his ranks.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute to the forces and to Major Waheed, saying "every drop of the blood of the martyrs, including Major Wajahat, is a guarantee for the protection of the homeland." He offered deep sympathy and condolences to the officer's family.
The statement said the operations were carried out under the Apex Committee's "Azm-e-Istehkam" (Resolve for Stability) vision, reiterating a commitment to continue the campaign until the complete elimination of foreign-sponsored terrorism.
Balochistan has long been the scene of a low-level insurgency by separatist groups demanding greater autonomy and a larger share of the province's resources. Pakistani authorities routinely describe such attacks as Indian-sponsored, a charge New Delhi denies.
