ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army forces backed by helicopters killed at least nine militants after the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) group abducted and executed an army officer, government and security officials said Friday.
The military and local authorities confirmed Thursday that up to 15 insurgents disguised as police killed Lieutenant-Colonel Laeeq Baig Mirza after abducting him late on Tuesday when he was traveling with his family from the town of Ziarat.
The military did not share any updates about the operation on Friday.
Mirza had been was heading to a tourist resort when members of BLA, designated a “terrorist” group by the United States in 2019, halted his vehicle on a highway and seized him.
The group later claimed that it executed Mirza — but let his family members live because they were “not involved in crimes against the group”.
Local government officials confirmed that the attackers freed the colonel’s family members.
According to two security officials, the insurgents were surrounded near the area of Harnai and Manga dam, where an exchange of fire was still continuing. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
But the military said the colonel’s civilian cousin — Umar Javed, who was traveling with him — was also abducted and remains in captivity.
The military said in a statement it was trying to find and rescue the hostage.
However, Reuters reported Thursday the militants had also killed Javed and his body was recovered in a different area in the mountainous region.
The killing of the colonel has drawn widespread condemnation in Pakistan. President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif have vowed that those linked to the incident will be traced, arrested and punished.
Deeply grieved over martyrdom of Lt Col Laiq Baig Mirza in Balochistan. Our law enforcement agencies will hunt down all those who perpetrated this heinous crime & bring them to justice. My thoughts & prayers are with bereaved family. Nation grieves with them & shares their sorrow
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) July 14, 2022
For years, Balochistan has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by BLA and other separatist groups. Although the government says it has quelled the insurgency, violence in the province has persisted.
In February, the insurgents attacked two military facilities in Balochistan, killing at least nine soldiers. In the subsequent exchange of fire, troops killed all the 20 assailants in the hours-long firefights and follow-up operations.
A female suicide bomber from BLA in April targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese teachers inside a university campus in Karachi, killing three Chinese nationals and their local driver. Since then, Pakistan has arrested or killed dozens of members of the group in multiple raids in Balochistan.
