QUETTA: In a significant development regarding regional security, the Balochistan forces have arrested an Afghan Taliban terrorist in a high-stakes operation conducted in Kuchlak, Balochistan, said the Interior Minister of Balochistan.
The Balochistan Interior Minister, along with the Additional Secretary Home and DIG CTD, held a joint press conference to announce major progress in counter-terrorism operations. The officials revealed the arrest of an Afghan terrorist named Habibullah during a high-stakes operation by security agencies in Balochistan.
The suspect, a resident of Paktika, Afghanistan, has reportedly confessed to attacking Pakistani security personnel in collaboration with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA). Investigations further disclosed that the group was led by an individual named “Muslim,” and that Habibullah’s brother, Sher Afghan, is an active member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), illustrating a dangerous nexus between the two organisations.
During the briefing, the Balochistan Interior Minister emphasised that Pakistan has been battling state-sponsored instability for decades and continues to urge the international community to recognise its role as a responsible nation.
He stated firmly that while Pakistan holds no enmity toward the Afghan people, it will provide a befitting response to any malicious actors. The Minister highlighted that Pakistan has repeatedly shared solid evidence regarding the use of Afghan soil for cross-border terrorism and continues to demand that the Afghan Taliban regime prevent such activities.
He noted that the arrest of Habibullah serves as concrete evidence of this foreign interference and reiterated the government’s stance that all illegally residing Afghan refugees must return to their home country.
Additional Secretary Home provided further context on the arrest, noting that Habibullah had been detained previously but was released as a “goodwill gesture,” only to be re-arrested in the Kuchlak area while engaging in further terror activities. This re-arrest has exposed the deep structural links between the TTA and TTP in conducting joint operations within Balochistan. To counter these threats, the government has implemented a “One Document Regime” across the province. Supporting these efforts, the Additional Secretary of the Interior revealed that thousands of intelligence-based operations have been conducted, resulting in the deportation of 960,000 illegal residents from Balochistan so far.
DIG CTD concluded the session by stating that the circle has been tightened around the remaining members of Habibullah’s group as security forces continue their crackdown on terror networks.
