Rawalpindi, August 9, 2025: Pakistan’s security forces have killed 47 India-backed terrorists in a series of operations in Balochistan’s Zhob district over the past two days, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.
According to the military’s media wing, troops intercepted and eliminated 33 militants attempting to infiltrate through the Pakistan–Afghanistan border in the Sambaza area on the night of August 7–8. Following the encounter, a deliberate clearance and sanitisation operation in surrounding areas resulted in the killing of 14 more terrorists.
The ISPR said weapons, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the slain militants, adding that the armed forces remain determined to safeguard Pakistan’s borders and foil any attempts to destabilise the country.
The army has repeatedly accused India of intensifying a proxy war in Pakistan, particularly after its defeat in the May conflict, warning that all such attempts will be met with a “crushing response.”
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi lauded the security forces’ efforts, pledging to eradicate terrorism from the country. In a statement, PM Shehbaz praised the soldiers for “risking their lives to protect the nation and thwart the nefarious designs of terrorists.”
Pakistan has seen a surge in cross-border militant activity since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, with Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa being the hardest hit.
A June 2025 report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) recorded 78 terrorist attacks across the country that month, leaving at least 100 people dead — including 53 security personnel, 39 civilians, and six militants — and injuring 189 others. Overall, 175 people, including 77 militants, were killed in violence and security operations during the month.
