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Pakistan's military spokesman, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, addressed a press conference on Wednesday to detail recent terrorist incidents in Balochistan, vowing that the perpetrators would be hunted down "everywhere." The briefing came amid heightened security concerns in the province, where three major attacks occurred over four days.

The press conference followed a statement by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, who said the armed forces were fully aware of state-sponsored attempts by hostile intelligence agencies to destabilise Pakistan. According to the ISPR statement, Munir warned that terrorism originating from across the border would be crushed with the "full might of the state."

Coverage Comparison

Dawn reported extensively on the security briefing and the army chief's remarks. The newspaper's coverage highlighted the condemnation of the terrorist attacks, the military's resolve to counter them, and the attribution of blame to India and the Afghan Taliban regime. All three Dawn reports carried the key figures from the briefing: four civilians, 27 policemen, and 11 security personnel martyred, and 54 terrorists killed in the incidents and subsequent operations.

The framing across the reports was largely official, reflecting the military's account of the events. Dawn noted the government's use of the term "Fitna al-Khawarij" to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates. The paper also quoted Lt Gen Chaudhry's characterisation of the attackers as "cowards" and "low-lives," as well as his description of the terrorists as belonging to an "Indian proxy" network.

Key Claims

During the press conference, Lt Gen Chaudhry outlined the three major incidents. The first occurred on July 4-5 in Hanna Urak, where "Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists attacked the innocent local population." He said the residents fought back valiantly and forced the attackers, whom he described as "those terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna Al Khwarij," to flee. In that attack, four civilians were martyred and six injured.

The second incident involved a "multidirectional attack" on a police checkpost guarding Pumping Station No.3 of Mangi Dam in Ziarat district. According to Lt Gen Chaudhry, the policemen held their ground and fought back, killing 15 "kharji" before nine policemen laid down their lives. He noted that reinforcements from the army and the Frontier Corps were dispatched, but before they arrived, the terrorists took the remaining police officials hostage. Once the forces reached the site, at least 15 bodies of the attackers were found.

The DG ISPR explained that the military and law enforcement agencies were cautious about using aerial assets due to the hostages, whom he described as "our youth." He highlighted that the police officers were all locals.

The press conference also addressed the broader security situation. Lt Gen Chaudhry said the terrorists used Afghan territory as a base of operations, and he accused India of sponsoring the attacks. The Dawn report noted that the government's term "Fitna al-Khawarij" is used for the TTP and its affiliates.

In a separate statement, Field Marshal Asim Munir reiterated that such proxy networks would not be allowed to undermine the country's internal security or economic prosperity. He said the armed forces were prepared to respond with full force to any threat from across the border.

Perspectives

  • Pakistan Military (ISPR): The military's account, as presented by DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry and CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir, frames the Balochistan incidents as terrorist attacks by "Fitna al-Khawarij" (TTP and affiliates) with alleged Indian sponsorship and Afghan-based operations. The military emphasised its resolve to crush such threats and its careful handling of the hostage situation.
  • Government of Pakistan (via Dawn reporting): The government's terminology and official statements, relayed through Dawn, align with the military's narrative, describing the attackers as "cowards" and "low-lives" and attributing the violence to foreign-backed elements.