Pakistan Grapples with Civilian Casualties, Terrorist Attacks, and Highway Restrictions

The Pakistani government has admitted to the killing of 10 civilians during an anti-militant operation in the country’s northwest, Asharq al-Awsat reported. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning in a remote hilltop area of Katlang, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

According to provincial government spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif, the location was being used as a “hideout and transit point for terrorist” elements. However, subsequent information revealed that some unarmed civilians were present in the vicinity of the site. The loss of these innocent lives was described as “deeply regrettable” and a consequence of “targeting terrorists” in the complex geographic terrain.

Separately, in the Sialkot area, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) terrorists attacked the Imambargah Gulshan-e-Zahra (Masjid-e-Ali), causing severe damage to the mosque during a peaceful Ramadan morning, Shiite News reported.

Amid the deteriorating security situation, the Balochistan government has taken measures to restrict night-time travel on major highways in several districts, Dawn reported. The deputy commissioners of Gwadar, Kachhi, Zhob, Noshki, and Musakhel districts have issued notifications banning public transport from plying the roads after dark, citing concerns over a rise in terrorist attacks targeting passengers.