GWADAR / RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Security forces successfully neutralised the insurgents who attempted to infiltrate the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) complex outside the port of Gwadar on Wednesday, police officials said.
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed the responsibility for the assault.
At least eight militants, armed with guns and bombs, detonated a number of bombs before launching a shooting attack and trying to storm the complex, officials said.
Security forces swiftly cordoned off the area surrounding the GPA complex. A retaliatory operation was launched, and reinforcements were called in.
An intense exchange of gunfire persisted for over half an hour, resulting in the death of all eight BLA insurgents.
In a post on social media platform X, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed that eight militants were "neutralised by security forces".
"The message is loud & clear. Whosoever chooses to use violence will see no mercy from the state," he added.
The Gwadar police established checkpoints in the vicinity as powerful explosions rocked the area, audible from a distance.
Official sources said that gunfire persisted in the city of Gwadar for a considerable duration, accompanied by the sound of more than ten explosions and rising smoke at the scene of the incident.
Late in the evening, the military’s media wing stated that two soldiers of the Pakistan army embraced martyrdom while eliminating the eight terrorists.
The martyred soldiers were identified as 35-year-old sepoy Bahar Khan, a resident of DG Khan, and 28-year-old sepoy Imran Ali, a resident of Khairpur.
“Security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation remain determined to thwart attempts of sabotaging peace and stability of Balochistan, and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the ISPR said in a statement.
Situated at the city's core, the GPA complex hosts various offices crucial to the operations of the Gwadar Port Authority, alongside facilities for law enforcement agencies and staff residences.
Among its multifaceted roles, the GPA plays a pivotal role in developing commercial infrastructure such as bank branches, stevedores, agency offices, cargo storage sheds, and marine repair workshops, aimed at facilitating investors and boosting revenue generation.
The GPA has spearheaded significant infrastructural endeavors within the complex, with an estimated cost totaling Rs. 2381.884 million. These projects are integral to enhancing the port's capabilities and augmenting its economic significance in the region.