The Gwadar attacks of October 22 ended with security forces killing 10 militants, including one woman, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday, October 23. The military’s media wing said one civilian was killed and a few vehicles were damaged, while no security personnel suffered losses.
ISPR Account of the Gwadar Attacks
According to the ISPR statement, militants it described as Indian-sponsored and belonging to “Fitna al Hindustan” attempted to carry out attacks in Balochistan’s Gwadar district, in the general areas of the Gabd border crossing and Gwadar city. The statement said security forces launched clearance operations in and around Gwadar city to protect residents, and that the operations foiled the attackers’ attempt to undermine the writ of the state.
The ISPR said order was restored after the operations concluded. It claimed the militants sought to harm the people they say they represent and to obstruct the development and prosperity of Balochistan. The casualty figures come from the military, and the reports reviewed for this article did not include independent confirmation.
Allegation Over the Use of a Woman
A notable part of the ISPR statement concerned the female militant killed in the operations. The military said the coercion of a Baloch woman into the attack was a crime against the state and against the respect traditionally accorded to Baloch women. It accused the attackers of exploiting women for propaganda, saying the tactic was contrary to Baloch and Islamic traditions. The ISPR did not provide evidence for the coercion claim in the statement as reported.
Background to the Fitna al Hindustan Label
Pakistan’s state has designated Balochistan-based militant groups as Fitna al Hindustan, a term Dawn describes as intended to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across the country. India has repeatedly denied such allegations in the past, according to Arab News. The reports reviewed contained no fresh Indian response to the latest statement.
Part of a Wider Pattern in Gwadar and Balochistan
The Gwadar attacks followed a separate incident a day earlier. Security sources said forces killed three militants and foiled an attack on an unoccupied construction company camp in Gwadar. Earlier this week, the ISPR said an army major was killed and four militants died in intelligence-based operations elsewhere in Balochistan.
Arab News noted that the attacks came days after Pakistan suspended trade through two crossings with Iran over security concerns. The Gabd crossing lies on that frontier, which gives the area added strategic and economic sensitivity.
Violence in the province has been rising. Data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies show that the number of terrorist attacks in Balochistan rose seven per cent, from 83 in July to 89 in August, and the province was declared the most affected by terrorism that month, as reported by Dawn.
Political and Military Response
President Asif Ali Zardari commended the security forces for foiling the attempts and expressed sorrow over the death of the civilian, according to a Presidency statement. He said efforts to disrupt peace in Balochistan could not shake the resolve of its people for development and prosperity, and he condemned the use of Baloch women’s honour for political interests.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir said earlier on Friday that the armed forces would continue their counterterrorism campaign against groups the state describes as Indian-sponsored, vowing to hit them hard wherever they are. The ISPR said the campaign would continue at full pace and that security forces remained resolved to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism.
Outlook
For residents of Gwadar, a port city central to Pakistan’s development ambitions, the immediate concern is whether security will hold. The military says normalcy has been restored, but the sequence of incidents this week suggests continued pressure on the area. Further official statements, and any independent reporting from the ground, will be needed to establish a fuller picture of the Gwadar attacks and their aftermath.
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