The military's media wing said an army major was killed in a Balochistan IED blast while security forces were carrying out a clearance operation in Gwadar district. In a press release, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the armed forces' media wing, named the officer as Major Wajahat Waheed, aged 34 and a resident of Lahore. The ISPR said he gave his life in the line of duty and "embraced shahadat", the Urdu term for martyrdom.
Gwadar and Kalat operations
The Balochistan IED blast was one of two incidents the ISPR described in the same statement. The military said intelligence agencies had reported several hideouts of what it calls "Fitna al Hindustan", a term it uses for militants it says are backed by India. These hideouts were located in the general areas of Shadi Kaur, in Tehsil Pasni (a sub-district) of Gwadar district, and Jattakabad, in Kalat district, and the ISPR said they posed a threat to local residents.
In the first incident, on 18 October 2026, security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation in Jattakabad. After an intense exchange of fire with the militants' location, four militants were killed, the ISPR said, and a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered. In the second incident, security forces were conducting a series of clearance operations in Shadi Kaur when the lead force component, led by Major Waheed, was targeted by an improvised explosive device (IED), a bomb made from improvised parts.
What the military has said next
The ISPR said sanitisation operations, meaning systematic searches to clear an area of any remaining militants, will continue in Shadi Kaur. The statement also said the counter-terrorism campaign "Azm-e-Istehkam", approved by the Federal Apex Committee under the National Action Plan (NAP), the government's counter-terrorism framework, will continue at full pace. Security forces and law enforcement agencies said they remain committed to ending what the military described as foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 18 October 2026: Security forces run an intelligence-based operation in Jattakabad, District Kalat, and four militants are killed.
- Separately: Major Wajahat Waheed is killed by an IED during clearance operations in Shadi Kaur, Tehsil Pasni, District Gwadar.
- Monday: The ISPR issues a press release on both incidents and says clearance operations will continue.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Balochistan mein IED dhamaka hua, jis mein army major Wajahat Waheed shaheed ho gaye. Yeh waqia Gwadar ke Shadi Kaur ilaqe mein hua, jahan security forces clearance operation kar rahi thi. Kalat ke Jattakabad ilaqe mein 18 October ko ek alag operation mein chaar dehshatgard maare gaye. Fauj ne kaha hai ke in ilaqon mein clearance operations jaari rahenge.
