Security forces killed three “Indian-sponsored terrorists” during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Panjgur district, the military’s media wing said on Sunday.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces conducted the operation on January 25 after reports of terrorists linked to an Indian proxy, Fitna al Hindustan, in the area.
Fitna al Hindustan is a state-designated term for Balochistan-based militant groups that Pakistan alleges are supported by India to target military personnel.
The ISPR said troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and eliminated three militants after an “intense fire exchange”. It added that the dead included a local commander, Farooq alias Soro.
The statement said security forces recovered weapons, ammunition and explosives from the militants, who it said were involved in multiple terrorist activities in the region.
It said sanitisation operations were underway to clear the area of any remaining terrorists. The ISPR added that security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue counterterrorism efforts at full pace under the vision of “Azm e Istehkam” to eliminate foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism.
Separately, a report by the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies said Pakistan saw a sharp rise in militancy in 2025, despite record militant deaths. It reported a 34 per cent increase in terrorist attacks and a 21 per cent rise in terrorism-related fatalities year on year.
Earlier this month, security forces killed four terrorists during a separate intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Kalat district.