• Interior secretary says NAP being reinvigorated
• FO slams Modi’s allegations
• UNSC condemns school bus attack

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities on Friday said they would continue with intelligence-based operations (IBOs) to combat terrorism in Balochistan, instead of launching a large-scale kinetic military campaign at this stage.

“The intelligence-based operations would continue,” said Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during a joint press briefing with Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha near the military headquarters in neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi.

The joint appearance of military and civilian officials underscored the government’s unified approach to counterterrorism, especially in the wake of escalating regional tensions with India and aggravating security situation in Balochistan.

Their remarks come days after a suicide attack in Khuzdar targeted a school bus carrying children of military personnel, in which eight people, including six children, were martyred and dozens others were injured. Two more students Haider, 13, and Malika, 12, succumbed to their injuries, bringing the death toll to eight.

Pakistan’s military had accused India of “planning and orchestrating” the att­ack using its terrorism proxies in the restive province.

Condemning the attack, Interior Secretary Agha said, “The attack on school bus in Khuzdar was an attack on our values, our education system and the very fabric of our society.” He added that initial investigations indicated the assault was orchestrated by India-backed terrorist operating as “Fitna al Hindustan” (Indian mischief).

The term ‘Fitna al Hindu­stan’ is a new phrase coined by Pakistan’s military, aimed at framing India’s alleged role in terrorism as a deliberate destabilisation strategy, potentially to galvanise domestic support.

Lt Gen Chaudhry emphasised that terrorism in Balochistan was being tackled “rationally”, noting that Pakistan had developed advanced counterterrorism techniques through decades of experience.

“Intelligence-based operations are very effective way of dealing with terrorists. We are hunting them down and eliminating them,” he said. “The number of terrorists killed in these intelligence-based operations are much higher as compared to the large-scale operations.”

This emphasis on intelligence-based operations highlights the government’s preference for targeted strikes to minimise collateral damage, possibly in response to past criticisms of heavy-handed military campaigns.

Soft targets

The military spokesman said the military is currently conducting nearly 150 IBOs on a daily basis without disrupting civilian life. “The terrorist groups after suffering heavily at the hands of law-enforcement agencies are now attacking soft targets. This shows the effectiveness of our operations,” he added.

Interior Secretary Agha echoed the approach, noting that a broader military campaign akin to Operation Zarb-i-Azb could be launched if necessary, but only after all preparatory steps are completed. “If need be, there can be a major operation like Zarb-i-Azb but that would be at a later stage. Currently, all operations are continuing,” Agha said.

The reference to Zarb-i-Azb, a 2014-17 operation that significantly reduced militancy in the country, signals the government’s readiness to escalate if IBOs do not bring the problem of terrorism under control, but also its caution to avoid destabilising Balochistan further.

He added that the National Action Plan (NAP) was being “reinvigorated” to support future counterterrorism efforts. “All facets of the national action plan are being reinvigorated so that all domains including social, economic, legal, counterterrorism, information and political are fully functional,” he stated. “So that when we go into a big operation… all facets are in place.”

The NAP, introduced in 2014 after the Peshawar Army Public School attack, is a comprehensive counterterrorism framework. Its reinvigoration suggests a holistic approach to address not just security but also socio-economic drivers of unrest in Balochistan.

Proxies activated

Lt Gen Chaudhry highlighted how synchronised attacks during the night of May 9 and 10 — involving 33 terrorist incidents in Balochistan — demonstrated collaboration between India and proxy groups in Balochistan.

“At a time when India was firing projectiles and missiles into Pakistan, it had also activated these proxies,” he said. “This synchronisation of attacks proved the collaboration between Fitna al Hindustan and India.”

He attributed India’s alleged targeting of Balochistan to Pakistan’s recent economic advancements in the province. “Balochistan has reached its take-off phase with improvements in the socio-economic sector… the inauguration of the airport in Gwadar and expansion of road network,” he said.

“Balochistan’s terrorism issue is being addressed rationally where military approach is one aspect. The problem is being addressed synergetically by all elements of national power.”

This holistic approach reflects the recognition that military solutions alone cannot resolve Balochistan’s complex issues

Agha reiterated the government’s readiness and resolve: “The state has the wherewithal and will to dismantle these networks and bring their handlers and perpetrators of these acts of terrorism to justice. Such actions will have consequences… Our resolve is firm and response will be decisive.”

Touching on recent tensions with India, the DG ISPR warned of dire consequences if provocations continue. “India is using terrorism as a tool against Pakistan through Fitna al Hindustan and Fitna al Khawarij,” he said. “Pakistan is on the other hand maintaining peace as a rational actor through the resolve of the people and the capabilities of the armed forces.”

He further condemned India’s “arrogant political mindset,” citing its refusal to address the Kashmir dispute and alleged suppression of minorities as the reasons behind India becoming a source of instability in the region.

FO rejects allegations

Earlier on Friday, Pakistan categorically rejected the “baseless, provocative, and irresponsible” allegations made by the Indian prime minister during a recent public address in Rajasthan, asserting that such statements clearly aimed at stoking regional tensions for narrow political gains, APP adds.

“The remarks, replete with distortions, misrepresentations, and inflammatory rhetoric, are clearly aimed at stoking regional tensions for narrow political gains. Such statements not only reflect a deliberate attempt to mislead the public but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft,” Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said.

He said that resorting to threats and boasting about military action against a sovereign nation was a grave breach of the UN Charter and established principles of international law and that this dangerous approach also undermined regional peace and stability.

The spokesperson said that Pakistan remained a consistent and proactive partner in the global fight against terrorism and any insinuation seeking to associate Pakistan with acts of terrorism was factually incorrect and patently misleading. He said it was a tactic often employed to divert attention from India’s own internal challenges, as well as its repressive policies in India-held Kashmir.

“India’s attempts to mask its serious human rights violations are well-documented and well-recognised by the international community. The plight of the Kashmiri people and their just struggle for self-determination cannot be obscured by aggressive rhetoric and political deflection,” he remarked.

He urged the Indian leadership to exercise responsibility and restraint as escalatory statements and belligerent posturing serve no purpose other than exacerbating tensions.

UNSC condemns Khuzdar attack

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a school bus in Khuzdar, Balochistan, calling it a heinous and cowardly act that claimed the lives of at least six people, including four children, and left more than 50 others injured.

In an official press statement, the Council members expressed profound sorrow over the attack, which occurred on May 21, and extended heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and to the government.

The UNSC members expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and the people of Pakistan, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured, the statement read.

Saleem Shahid in Quetta and input from agencies also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2025