PISHIN: Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has claimed that five armed individuals were killed during an operation in Pishin district of Balochistan.
According to official sources, an alleged exchange of fire took place near Sra Khub (Surkhab) Muhajir Camp between security forces and armed suspects. CTD officials stated that five militants were killed in the operation. Authorities further claimed that the deceased were planning attacks on a Police Lines facility and a Cadet College, and that weapons and explosive materials were recovered from their vehicle.
As per usual practice, the CTD did not disclose the identities of those killed.
However, human rights groups and local sources have raised concerns regarding such operations. Earlier this week, the CTD also claimed to have killed several individuals in separate operations in Karachi, Quetta, and Barkhan. Subsequently, some of the deceased were reportedly identified as previously missing persons. In one staged encounter in Karachi, the youths killed had earlier been presented before a court.
In the past, CTD operations have faced allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of individuals taken into custody and later killed in encounters.
Calls are now being made for an independent investigation and for authorities to provide transparent information regarding the latest incident.
