Pakistan’s military said security forces killed four people during an ongoing operation in the Kalat area after receiving information about the presence of armed individuals, a claim that has raised fears among rights groups about alleged extrajudicial killings in the name of intelligence-based operations.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said the operation was launched following intelligence reports and resulted in the deaths of four armed individuals. According to ISPR, weapons and ammunition were recovered from those killed.
The military statement claimed the individuals were involved in what it described as “terrorist activities.” No further details about their identities were provided.
The operation is continuing in the area, ISPR said.
Separately, residents reported that a drone strike was carried out by Pakistani forces on Sunday evening in the Shor Parod area of Kalat, with the sound of the explosion heard across surrounding localities.
Local sources said drone flights were again observed over the area on Monday. However, the military’s claims regarding the operation and the reported deaths could not be independently verified through local or other sources.
It should be noted that the ISPR’s claims of killing alleged members of Baloch “pro-independence” groups are often met with suspicion and fear by Baloch human rights groups, who argue that the Pakistani forces execute Baloch missing persons in “fake encounters” and later frame them as “militants.” The latest claim by the ISPR has again raised fears that the alleged “insurgents” might be Baloch missing persons.