Army major martyred, four militants killed in Balochistan operations, ISPR says
Major Wajahat Waheed was killed by a roadside bomb during a clearance operation in Gwadar district. The military says operations in Kalat and Gwadar will continue.
At a glance
- Security forces killed four militants in an intelligence-based operation in Jattakabad, Kalat district, on October 18, the military's media wing ISPR said.
- Major Wajahat Waheed, 34, from Lahore, was martyred by a roadside bomb while leading a clearance operation in Shadi Kaur, Pasni, Gwadar district.
- President Zardari, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute; ISPR said operations under Azm-e-Istehkam will continue.
- A day earlier, the PM's Office said eight militants were killed in Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar.
A Pakistan Army major was martyred and four militants were killed in separate security operations in Balochistan, the military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said on Monday, October 19.
The two operations
| Kalat district | Gwadar district | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Jattakabad area | Shadi Kaur, Pasni tehsil |
| Type | Intelligence-based operation | Clearance operation |
| Date | Sunday, October 18 | Same period |
| Outcome | Four militants killed; large cache of weapons and ammunition recovered | Major Wajahat Waheed martyred by an improvised explosive device |
According to ISPR, troops in Kalat acted on intelligence about militants in the Jattakabad area and killed four of them. In Gwadar district, an improvised explosive device (IED) struck the security forces during a clearance operation. Major Wajahat Waheed, 34, a resident of Lahore, who was leading the operation, was martyred.
ISPR described the militants as belonging to "Fitna al-Hindustan", the term the state uses for Baloch separatist groups it says are backed by India. India denies supporting militancy in Pakistan.
Tributes
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the security forces, paid tribute to Major Waheed's sacrifice and offered condolences to his family. ISPR said "sanitisation" operations were continuing in both areas to find any other militants, and that the counter-terrorism campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam would continue at full pace.
A string of operations
The latest operations follow a statement from the Prime Minister's Office on Sunday saying security forces had killed eight militants in operations in Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar districts. In recent weeks, security forces have also reported operations in Washuk and Mastung, each with several militants killed.
Background
Balochistan is Pakistan's largest province by area but its least populated, and it is rich in minerals and home to the strategic port of Gwadar, a centrepiece of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. Separatist groups have stepped up attacks on security forces, infrastructure projects, workers and travellers in recent years, and the state has responded with intensified operations.
Why it matters
Attacks on the security forces and on development projects in Balochistan affect investment in mining and ports, the safety of workers and travellers on the province's highways, and Pakistan's relations with China, whose citizens and projects have been targeted in the past.
What happens next
ISPR said the clearance operations in Kalat and Gwadar will continue. ISPR said the security forces remain determined to eliminate militancy from the province.
Questions people are asking
What happened in Balochistan on October 18, 2026?
According to ISPR, security forces killed four militants in Kalat district, and an army major was martyred by a roadside bomb during a separate clearance operation in Gwadar district.
Who was the army officer martyred in Gwadar?
ISPR named him as Major Wajahat Waheed, 34, a resident of Lahore, who was leading the operation in the Shadi Kaur area of Pasni.
What is Azm-e-Istehkam?
Pakistan's national counter-terrorism campaign, under which the security forces carry out intelligence-based operations against militant groups, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
