Army major among two soldiers martyred in Zhob anti-terror operation

• Five terrorists also killed during intense exchange of fire: ISPR.
• Says Major Syed Ali Raza Shah, Havaldar Nisar Ahmed martyred.
• The sanitisation of surrounding areas is being conducted.

ISLAMABAD: An army major among two soldiers embraced martyrdom while five terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Zhob District, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Monday.

According to the military’s media affairs wing, the security forces conducted an operation in the general Sambaza area of Zhob District on the night between October 8 and 9, on the reported presence of terrorists.

“During the conduct of the operation, terrorists were surrounded and after an intense exchange of fire, five terrorists were sent to hell,” the ISPR added.

However, during the shooting, Major Syed Ali Raza Shah, 31 — who was leading the operation from the front — and Havaldar Nisar Ahmed 28, having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom.

“The security forces of Pakistan are indebted and proud of our brave men and pay homage to their chivalry and sacrifices for the motherland, which further strengthens our resolve to uproot the menace of terrorism from the country,” read the statement.

The ISPR further said that sanitisation of the surrounding areas is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

Last month, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir had said the forces of evil would continue to face the full might of the state after a suicide blast in Balochistan's Mastung district killed 59 people.

A suicide bomber Friday targeted people gearing up for a procession related to Eid Miladun Nabi — the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) — near a mosque in the Mastung district.

"... terrorists and their facilitators, having no link with religion and ideology, are proxies of the enemies of Pakistan and its people. These forces of evil will continue to face the full might of the state and security forces backed by a resilient nation," the army chief had said.

According to the COAS, the Pakistani people have rejected terrorists' "pseudo ideology and propaganda of their backers and they are fully committed to peace, economic progress, and human development, which indeed is causing [a] lot of distress to forces of evil in and outside of Pakistan".

Earlier this month, citing security concerns, Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar-led caretaker government had announced its decision to expel 1.1 million foreigners illegally residing in Pakistan.

According to details, the government would evict illegal "aliens" in the first phase along with those who do not renew their visas.

“Illegally resident foreigners pose a serious threat to the security of Pakistan,” said a source privy to the development, adding that the plan for eviction of illegally residing Afghan citizens has also been approved as this lot is involved in funding, facilitating and smuggling terrorists whereas 700,000 Afghans have not renewed their proof of residence in Pakistan.

It is said as many as 400,000 Afghans entered Pakistan illegally since the return of the Afghan Taliban to Afghanistan in August 2021. There are another 700,000 Afghans identified who have been living in the country illegally.