Major Wajahat Waheed Martyred in Gwadar IED Blast, Four Terrorists Killed in Kalat: ISPR

 

RAWALPINDI: A Pakistan Army major was martyred in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast during a clearance operation in Balochistan's Gwadar district, while four terrorists were killed in a separate intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Kalat, the military's media wing said on Monday.

Main News Report

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Monday that security forces are conducting a series of operations in the general areas of Shadi Kaur, Tehsil Pasni, District Gwadar, and Jattakabad, District Kalat, on the reported presence of multiple hideouts of Fitna al Hindustan — the state's designation for India-backed terrorist groups.

• Kalat IBO (October 18): Security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the general area of Jattakabad in Kalat district. After an intense exchange of fire, four terrorists were killed, the ISPR said. A large cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered.
• Gwadar clearance operation: During a series of clearance operations in Shadi Kaur, Tehsil Pasni, the lead force component — headed by 34-year-old Major Wajahat Waheed, a resident of Lahore — was targeted by an IED blast. Major Waheed embraced martyrdom in the line of duty, the ISPR said.
• Sanitisation under way: Sanitisation operations continue in the affected areas to eliminate any remaining terrorists, the military's media wing added.

Background Context

The operations are part of the relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of "Azm-e-Istehkam", as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, which the ISPR said would continue at full pace.

Pakistan has designated Balochistan-based militant outfits as Fitna al Hindustan to highlight what Islamabad says is India's role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan, as reported by Dawn.

This is the second round of major ISPR-announced operations in Balochistan in as many days: PakInsight Hub reported on Sunday that eight "India-sponsored" terrorists were killed in three IBOs across the Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar districts, with 490 kilogrammes of explosives recovered. A day earlier, 20 under-training police recruits were abducted from a passenger van on the Quetta-Karachi Highway in Mastung district.

Reactions and Statements

• ISPR (official statement): "Sanitisation operations will continue to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area."
• ISPR: "The relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of 'Azm-e-Istehkam', as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, will continue at full pace."
• ISPR: "Security forces and law enforcement agencies remain committed to eliminating the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country."

Why This News Matters

The martyrdom of a commissioned officer underscores the dangers faced by the lead elements of clearance operations in Balochistan, where IEDs remain a weapon of choice against security patrols.

The twin operations show both the reach and the cost of the ongoing campaign: four terrorists eliminated and a weapons cache seized in Kalat, at the price of an officer's life in Gwadar.

The ISPR's framing of the targeted groups as "Indian-sponsored" keeps the diplomatic dimension of the Balochistan insurgency in focus at a time of already-strained regional relations.

Future Developments

Whether the sanitisation operations in Shadi Kaur and Jattakabad yield further militant casualties or weapons recoveries in the coming days.

Any funeral and military-honour announcements for Major Wajahat Waheed, and any statements from the army leadership or the federal government paying tribute to him.

Whether Islamabad raises the Fitna al Hindustan designation again in diplomatic forums, given the emphasis on foreign sponsorship in the ISPR statement.

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