Daily Times

After a group of gunmen stormed the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Complex on Wednesday, security forces acted swiftly and foiled the fierce attack and killed “eight terrorists” belonging to outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), sources said.

Eyewitnesses said that they heard multiple explosions after firing in the complex which houses passport office, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office, and other government offices. An explosion was also heard before the firing, police officials told the media, adding that the entire area was cordoned off by security personnel.

A clearance operation is underway at the facility in the security personnel’s presence. Meanwhile, Makran Division commissioner confirmed the incident and number of slain terrorists. Reacting to the development, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah condemned the attack on the GPA complex, saying: “Elimination of the terrorists is final and the determination of our military men is strong.” CPEC is the future of Pakistan and we will not allow any harm to it under any circumstances, the CM added.

The attack follows a fierce terrorist attack on a security forces’ check post in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) last week, as the country witnesses a spike in such attacks, resulting in deaths of several civilians and law enforcement officials.

Following the Mir Ali attack, which resulted in martyrdom of seven Pakistan Army soldiers – including a lieutenant colonel and captain – Pakistani forces carried out intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in the border regions inside Afghanistan against terrorists launching attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil.

As the country witnesses another wave of terrorist activities, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has said that the continuous use of Afghan soil is behind the “growing terrorism in Pakistan”.

A statement issued by the military’s media wing on Monday said that Pakistan’s security forces have been engaged in the war against terrorism for the past two decades.

“It is clear to all that the recent wave of terrorism in Pakistan has full support and assistance of Afghanistan,” it added.

The communique further stated that the rise in terror attacks in Pakistan is a result of supply of modern weapons into the country “with the help of Afghan Taliban”.

The ISPR said that there is clear evidence of Afghan terrorists’ involvement in attack on Zhob Garrison on July 12, 2023, in which nine soldiers embraced martyrdom and five terrorists were killed.

Clear evidence of terrorists coming from Afghanistan, the military’s media wing said, is the reason behind growing incidents of terrorism. A day after the attack, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said militants were using Afghanistan soil to carry out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.

“Terrorism against us is mostly being conducted from Afghanistan,” the defence minister had said while speaking to the media in Sialkot.

On Monday, Pakistani forces carried out intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in the border regions inside Afghanistan against terrorists launching attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil.