— PM condoles soldier’s death, wishes speedy recovery to the injured
QUETTA: One soldier was killed and six militants were dead after an overnight operation in Balochistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Saturday.
The military’s media wing said in a statement that during an exchange of fire with separatists in the Hoshab town of Kech district, another soldier, Naik Wazir Muhammad, was injured.
It said the operation was launched after government forces received information that a group of insurgents were riding motorcycles from Kech to Mastung. The insurgents opened fire and the resulting exchange with the military resulted in the death of six insurgents and one soldier, Sergeant Hidayatullah.
Troops seized arms and ammunition carried by the dead insurgents and a search and clearance operation was ongoing Saturday.
For nearly two decades, Balochistan has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other separatist groups. The government says it has quelled the insurgency, but violence in the province has persisted.
Meanwhile, a statement from Prime Minister’s Office said Shehbaz Sharif lauded Pakistan Army for carrying out what it said was a successful operation.
The prime minister also condoled the death of Hidayatullah. The entire nation saluted the sacrifices of its shahada (martyrs), he added.
According to the statement, he expressed sympathies with the bereaved family.
The prime minister also prayed for the speedy recovery of Muhammad.
