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- PM says government is committed to eradicating militancy after security forces kill three in northwest
- The development comes amid rising violence in Pakistan that has witnessed deadly attacks recently
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday the nation stands firmly with its security forces as the military announced the killing of three militants in two separate operations in the country’s northwest amid a sharp rise in violence.
Pakistan’s military also injured three combatants during intelligence-based operations conducted in Khyber and South Waziristan districts on Nov. 21-22.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), two militants were killed in an operation in Bara, Khyber district, while another was killed and three injured during an attempt to infiltrate Pakistan from the Afghanistan border.
The ISPR reiterated Pakistan’s call for Afghanistan’s Taliban-led interim government to prevent its territory from being used for violent attacks against Pakistan, emphasizing the country’s commitment to securing its borders and eradicating militancy.
“The enemies of humanity will continue to face failure in their evil designs,” the prime minister said in a statement released by his office after the ISPR shared the information. “The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the brave soldiers of our security forces in the fight against terrorism.”
Sharif added his government remains committed to eradicating militancy and ensuring the complete elimination of extremist violence in the country.
The ISPR’s announcement comes amid escalating violence in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, which has witnessed multiple deadly attacks in the past week.
In the latest assault on Thursday, gunmen attacked vehicles carrying minority Shiite community members in KP’s Kurram district, triggering deadly sectarian clashes that have so far killed 64 people.
Prior to that, militants targeted a checkpost in KP’s Bannu district during the week, killing 10 army soldiers and two paramilitary Frontier Constabulary personnel.
Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, during a visit to Peshawar on Friday, vowed decisive action against militant groups and emphasized the need for synchronized operations to dismantle militant networks.
Pakistan’s other western province of Balochistan has also seen a resurgence in militant activity this year.
On Tuesday, the prime minister chaired a meeting of civil and military leaders that approved a “comprehensive operation” to counter separatist insurgents in Balochistan.
The government’s latest actions underline Pakistan’s struggle to address growing instability along its borders and in remote regions, where a combination of militant activity and weak governance continues to pose significant challenges to security forces.