Balochistan

 CTD police SHO Murad Jamot was martyred, and a passerby injured in a blast of magnetic explosive devise planted in his vehicle on Sultan Ibrahim Road in Khuzdar (10 December).

 Unidentified assialants killed one Shahzad Shah, brother of police SHO Majeed Shah in a targeted attack at Chatrar thesil of Naseerabad district (11 December).

 Two heroin addicts were reportedly injured in a grenade attack by unknown motorcyclists in the jurisdiction of Wali Khan Police Station in Mastung district (13 December).

 Unidentified armed persons killed one Abdul Rasheed in Duki district (15 December).

 Unknown assailants gunned down a person identified as Kamran on Raisani Road Quetta (18 December).

 Unknown armed attackers gunned down two persons identified as Sajjad Ali and Yasir Ali in Dasht thesil of Kech district (18 December).

 Four persons including a woman and child were critically injured in a blast of abondoned explosive shell in Wash area of Khuzdar district (19 December).

 Sarfraz Ahmed Bungalzai, commander Baloch National Army (BNA), while addressing a press conference in Quetta in the presence of provincial Information minister Jan Achakzai announced his surrender along with his seventy comrades and vowed to go with national stream (19 December).

Comments & Analysis: – BNA remained involved in attacks on security forces and CPEC projects. It was also member of Baloch Raji Ajoi Sangar (BRAS), a collaborative alliance of several militant separatist groups. The surrender of Commander Bangulzai and his comrades is a positive development. It may help motivate the militants of other separatist groups to discard militancy and join national stream. The government should capitalize on this development and enhance the strategy of hearts and minds through development, education and job opportunities for the youth.

 Unknown killers shot dead a senior teacher Akbar, Vice President of District Teacher Association in Turbat. Investigations are under progress (23 December).

 A police Assistant Sub Inspector sustained injuries in a grenade attack on the patrol van in Naean Killi area of Quetta (25 December).

 Unidentified armed motorcyclists killed a shopkeeper Sadiq Shah on Zaman Road, Duki Town (26 December).

Comments & Analysis: It appears that target killing and attacks on lower-level police officers have increased in Balochistan. This propensity cannot be ignored. It is crucial to investigate every case to identify the culprits and understand the strategy of the miscreants. In light of it, it is important to tailor the counterstrategy to the specific context of Balochistan and continuously evaluate its effectiveness.

It is needless to emphasise that intelligence networks must be strengthened to gather timely and accurate information on potential threats. Moreover, as suggested umpteen times earlier, there is a need to foster collaboration and information-sharing among various intelligence agencies at the local, regional, and national levels.

In Balochistan’s context it is equally important to introduce hearts and minds policy so that space is shrunk for the terrorists and miscreants who assimilate among the public and get support for them. It is imperative to build trust between law enforcement agencies and local communities to encourage information sharing.

Police and FC are facing the wrath of better quipped militants for the last two years, mainly due to use of state-of-the-art weapons and night vision telescopes by the militants, left behind by the US forces in Afghanistan. It is high time to provide training and resources to the police force, emphasizing modern investigative techniques, intelligence analysis, and counter-terrorism strategies. Furthermore, enhance the capabilities of security forces through advanced technology and equipment.

Unknown miscreants hurled a grenade on a check post in Baloch Bazar in Turbat Town. No human loss or property damage took place (29 December).

 Unknown armed motorcyclists gunned down a bank officer identified as Balal Zarghoon in Patel Bagh area of Quetta (29 December).

KPK

 CTD police claimed to have arrested six facilitators of extortionists including an Afghan national (names not disclosed) from Peshawar with suspected use of 1600 Afghan cellphone Sims (11 December).

 A seminary teacher, Noor-ul-Hadi, of Madrisha Zubaria was allegedly killed by his two students in Sawabi. The investigation regarding motive and other things behind the murder is under progress (11 December).

 Security forces killed seventeen terrorists during exchange of fire in Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan district (11/12 December).

 During an armed attack with guns and VBIED, on a military compound in Darband area of Dera Ismail Khan, twenty-three personnel of the security forces embraced martyrdom while thirty others were injured. All the six terrorists engaged in the attack were killed by the security forces in exchange of fire. A self-proclaimed militant group Tehreek Jehad e Pakistan (TJP) affiliated with defunct TTP reportedly claimed responsibility of the attack (12 December).

 Security forces in another IBO killed four terrorists in Kalachi area of Dera Ismail Khan district while two soldiers also embraced martyrdom during exchange of fire (12 December).

 Police personnel patroling on a mobile van escaped unhurt in an IED blast in Sarai Gambila Town of Lakki Marwat district (12 December).

 Police repulsed an attack on Police Lines Tank and killed all the five terrorists including a suicide bomber, however, during exchange of fire three officials embraced martyrdom (14 December).

 Security forces repulsed a terrorist attack on Khwar Bara joint checkpost post in Khyber district. However, during the exchange of fire two soldiers – Naik Murad and Naik Ghaffar were martyred while six others including a police constable sustained injuries (14 December).

One Shahnawaz was murdered by unknown assailants in Baba Ziratkhel area of Nowshera district. The deceased had no personal enmity, his family stated (16 December).

 Two security forces personnel – Gul Muhammad and Noor Muhammad reportedly embraced martyrdom in exchange of fire with terrorists during attack on Frontier Corps FC in Upper Bara Sipah Ghaibi Nika area security post in Khyber district (17 December).

 Police repulsed terrorist attack on Chanda check post without any loss of human lives in Dera Ismail Khan district (18 December).

 Customs department staff during the search, recovered currency notes of 1,00000- Saudi Rials and forty-five mobile phones from an Afghanistan bound car at a check post on Pak- Afghan Border at Torkham, Landi Kotal, Khyber district (19 December).

 Eight labourers working in a construction company were reportedly kidnapped by unknown armed persons from Shashi village of Spinwam tehsil in North Waziristan district (19 December).

 Terrorists shot dead five labourers and injured another who were working in an under-construction police station in Jara Ghondi area of South Waziristan district (21 December).

 Unknown armed persons killed two passengers and injured six others at Hangu in an attack on a passenger van plying from Peshawar to Parachinar (25 December).

Comments & Analysis: For quite some time the TTP terrorists posed and claimed to be targeting the security forces only and not the civilians. But now, as is evident from above and below information, they have started attacking civilians and common citizens to create fear among the public. They are very soon back to their original strategy to attack civilians and common places like markets and schools. It shows desperation on their part as the security forces have remained resolute and steadfast against their attacks. Security forces and intelligence agencies must capitalise on this moment of weakness and increase pressure on them by carrying out attacks on their hideouts and conduction combing operations, especially in DI Khan, Bannu and N. Waziristan areas.

 A bullet riddled body of a rickshaw driver Tasneemullah was found in Sawabi who had been kidnapped by unknow persons three days ago from Nowshera Banda Bar (25 December).

 Unidentified armed motorcyclists killed a transgender person identified as Noor Mohammad alias Ubaiday, an Afghan national, who was currently living in the Patang Chowk area of Peshawar. (26 December)

 Armed shooters killed a tribal elder identified as Akbar Jan in Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan district (26 December).

Unknown shooters killed a young student Danish and injured another in a targeted attack in Peshawar (26 December).

 Armed shooters killed a tribal elder identified as Akbar Jan in Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan district (26 December).

Due to increased incidents of terrorism and deterioration of law and order, a command-and-control system has been established by KPK police in Shakas police Training Center. IGP Akhtar Hayat Khan while inaugurating the same said that similar facilities would also be provided to the other districts (26 December).

It is learned that CTD police stressed for improved security measures due to the threat of terrorist attacks during the forthcoming general elections on 8th February 2024. For this purpose various areas in the province are being categorized including assigning A category to the bordering districts with Afghanistan, from where the major TTP threat emanates (27December).

Police repulsed the terrorist attack at night on the Aba Shaheed police check post  in Dera Ismail Khan district. (27 December).

 A joint team of police and Security forces killed a suspected terrorist affiliated with defunct TTP identified as Idrees @ Naik in Karri Haider/ Alikhel area of Dera Ismail Khan district (28 December).

Unidentified miscreants set ablaze Governor Girls High School  Kotka Mumbati Barakzai, Bannu district with complete destruction of its Science Lab and looted away its solar power plant, multi pressure pumps machine and other equipment. They also left behind in message in Urdu threatening of dire consequence if the authorities tried to reopen the school (29 December).

Security forces killed five terrorists, including TTP commander Rahzaib @ Khuray, in an IBO, in Mirali area of North Waziristan district (30 December).

A passenger was injured when miscreants opened fire on a Parachinar-Peshawar bound bus near the Bypass Road in Sadda. A passenger fired back with his pistol which compelled the assailants to flee away (30 Dec).

Punjab

CTD police claimed to have arrested nine suspected terrorists (names not disclosed) allegedly affiliated with banned outfits during different raids from Bahawapur, Gujranwala, Lahore divisions and recovered arms & ammunition and proscribed material from their posession (11 December).

Police claimed to have recovered heavy cache of weapons and ammunition comprising ninety-one pistols of thirty bore, thirty-nine pistols of 9 m m, 18 rifles, 248 magazines and 30000- bullets during a tip-oof search from a Car on Lahore- Khanewal Road in Sahiwal district and arrested the carrier identified as Naeem Akhtar Pathan. It is learnet that the weapons were being smuggled from KPK to Punjab (15 December).

Unidentified persons hurled hand grenade on the residence of former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar in Garden Town Lahore. The blast caused injuries to the two police constables on security duty and damage to vehicles. However, the former CJP who along with his family was reportedly present on the premises, remained unhurt. No militant organistation claimed responsibility of the attack. CTD police registered the case and started investigations to apprehend the culprits (20 December).

Sindh

Unidentified armed motorcyclists killed an Ahel Sunnat-wal-Jammat (ASWJ) worker identified as Adnan near Norang Chowarngi in Karachi (11 December).

Unknown attackers gunned down Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASI) Muhommad Asif in the Landhi area of Karachi (13 December).

CTD police claimed to have arrested two suspected terrorists identified as Muhommad Ashraf @ Achu and Zeeshan Hameed @ Riaz from a Rohri bound train in Karachi and recovered explosives and petrol bombs from their possession. They were reportedly affiliated with Lashkar-e-Jahagvi (LJ), got training from Afghanistan and were part of a sleeper cell in Karachi (14 December).

Police arrested six suspected extortionists including Yousf, Adeel, Nabeel Chandio from Karachi for demanding extortion money , ‘bhatta’ from traders (18 December).

5. Unknown armed persons shot dead one Abdul Hamed on Nipa Flyover in Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi (19 December).

Police arrested two suspects identified as Arif Malik and Sajid in connection with abduction of student Mujtaba for taking ransom amount of Rs.1.5 million along with a motor car and mobile phone from near Superhighway, Karachi (21 December).

Police recovered an unclaimed bag containing the time bomb in Awam Express train at Karachi Cantt Railway station. Later the Bomb Disposal Unit (22 December) defused it.

8. Three young brothers Ishfaq, Sajad and Amjjad were kidnapped by armed persons in Bafian area of Kashmore district and were taken to the riverain area (23 December).

9. Two children Zohaib Bhayo and Akadh Bhayo were killed while several others injured due to the blast of an abandoned rocket shell during wood cutting in Kandh Kot. The (27 December).

Afghanistan

Law & Order / Terrorism

A money changer was gunned down by unknown armed persons in Amal district of Faryab province (15 Dec). Women Rights activist Julia Parsi was released on bail by the Afghan Taliban authorities after 3 months detention (18 Dec). An abducted child was killed by the kidnappers after ransom money not paid in Nangarhar province (25 Dec). Unidentified gunmen shot dead Dr. Abdul Ghaffar Hamdard, senior teacher at the Medical University in his clinic in Kabul (27 Dec).

IRAN

In a terrorist attack, eleven security officials were killed, and seven others injured during an attack on a police station in Sarsk Town of Sistan- Balochistan province bordering with Pakistan and Afghanistan. A terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Adil reportedly took responsibility of the attack, which had been declared banned by Iran in 2012 after its creation (15 December).

As per the verdict by an Irani court, four Israeli / Mossad agents were executed on 24 December in Iranian North western province Azerbaijan for working against the Iran’s security and attack on the officials. According to the media channel France 24.com these persons were identified as Vafa Hanareh, Aram Omari and Rahman Parhazo – and one woman, Nasim Namazi. Earlier on 16 December another person was hanged in Southwestern province Sistan- Balochistan, on the similar ground.

Comments & Analysis: – Terrorist attacks on the Iranian police and border guards in the Sunni majority province Sistan- Balochistan, by various terrorist outfits have been taking place intermittently for the last several years. These outfits operate in the Pak-Iran border area and keep taking shelter in both areas. Due to adjoining border, Pakistan has always ensured to take stringent measures to check and apprehend any such terrorists involved in infiltration and committing terrorism inside the Iranian territory. A number of high-level meetings of political and security authorities of Pakistan and Iran have taken place between on this issue. Pakistan foreign office condemned the said attack and expressed solidarity with the Iranian people and government as both the nations are facing terrorism   After this incident, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisani, in a telephonic talk with the President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, desired to enhance the joint security cooperation between the two countries to stop recurrence of such acts in future. Both leaders also talked about increasing economic cooperation, ongoing Israeli genocide in Palestine and Muslim Umma’s efforts to take appropriate action in this regard. The foreign ministers of the two countries also talked on similar lines. Regarding the execution of Israeli agents, Iran has long been accusing Israel of espionage and covert operations in Iran, attacks on its security and science officials. Recently a senior commander of Irani Revolutionary guards – Rizi was killed in an air strike near the Syrian capital Damascus by Israel.