Quetta: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has said that an attempted bank robbery in Kharan was foiled, with around 14 terrorists killed during the operation, of which 12 deaths have been confirmed.
Speaking at a press conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Quetta on Friday, Bugti stated that the terrorists’ nefarious plans in Kharan had been successfully thwarted. He said 20 to 25 individuals had attempted to enter the bank, intending to carry out a robbery.
The Chief Minister praised the role of security forces, highlighting that Major Asim, despite being injured, continued to engage the terrorists, while Naib Subedar Anwar Nabi also bravely confronted the attackers.
Bugti further said that during the operation, 14 terrorists were killed, including 12 confirmed fatalities. Four were neutralised on the spot, while an additional eight fleeing terrorists were subsequently killed.
He added that the provincial government plans to provide fibre-optic internet to all government schools, colleges, universities and hospitals in Balochistan, amounting to an investment of 3 billion rupees. Clearance operations are ongoing in Kharan, and appointments in the province are being made on the basis of merit.
The Chief Minister also warned that the Baloch nation was being pushed into a pointless conflict, but noted that the people of Kharan had rejected the terrorists. He condemned the militants’ attacks on civilians, including forcibly removing passengers from buses, and contrasted the past situation, when highways in Balochistan could remain closed for 7 to 10 days, with the present, where no highway is closed even for 7 minutes. Bugti added that steps are being taken to further strengthen bank security across Balochistan.
