RAWALPINDI — Security forces killed five terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy “Fitna al-Hindustan” during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Washuk district of Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
In a formal press release issued on October 15, 2026, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the operation was conducted on the night of October 12-13 following reports about the presence of terrorists in the area.
“During the conduct of the operation, a terrorist hideout was busted by security forces through swift and decisive action,” the ISPR said, adding that five terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna al-Hindustan were “sent to hell” during the operation.
A cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was recovered from the hideout, the statement said. Sanitisation operations were ongoing to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists in the area, it added.
The ISPR reiterated that the “relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision, as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan, would continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.”
The federal government has formally designated all Balochistan-based terrorist groups as “Fitna al-Hindustan,” accusing India of waging a proxy war in the province through its intelligence agencies. The designation reflects Islamabad’s position that the insurgency in Balochistan is not an indigenous movement but a foreign-sponsored campaign aimed at destabilising Pakistan, particularly its economic corridor projects and strategic infrastructure.
Islamabad has repeatedly presented evidence of foreign sponsorship of terrorism in Balochistan, pointing to the training, funding and arming of militant outfits operating in the region. Officials say Indian intelligence has used militant proxies to target security forces, Chinese nationals working on development projects, and civilian infrastructure across the province.
The Washuk operation is the latest in a string of counter-terrorism actions in the province. A day earlier, on October 14, another IBO in the same district killed five terrorists and injured four others, according to security sources. That operation was reported by security sources rather than through a formal ISPR statement. The back-to-back operations in Washuk — a vast, sparsely populated district in western Balochistan that has historically served as a transit route for militant networks — signal a concentrated effort to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the area.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in militant violence this year. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the country recorded 225 militant attacks in September 2026 alone — the highest monthly figure in 12 years.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for the successful Washuk operation, praising their professionalism and resolve in eliminating foreign-backed terrorists.
The military’s counter-terrorism campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision continues at full pace across the country, with intelligence-based operations regularly targeting terrorist hideouts, facilitators and their support networks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
