Part 1 – Domestic

BALOCHISTAN

1. A bullet-riddled body identified as Mullah Abdul Ghaffar was found in the Deri Sulemankhel area of Pishin district (17.7.24).
2. Six persons, including three CTD policemen, were injured in an IED blast targeting their vehicle near Session Court in Pishin (18.7.24).
3. A security forces personnel was martyred and seven others injured in an IED blast targeting their vehicle in Buleda area of Kech district (19.7.24).
4. An unknown motorcyclist killed a person named Shakeel in Pangur (21.7.24).
5. A coal-loaded truck driver, Nadeem Ahmed Satarzai, was killed and two others injured in a gun attack by unknown terrorists on Harnai-Sanjavi Road in the Kham Tangi area of Bolan district (22.7.24).
6. Two brothers, Samir Bugti and Ibrahim Bugti, traveling in a motorcar were killed while their three security guards were injured in a targeted gun attack by unknown assailants in Dera Murad Jamali. Police investigations are underway to arrest the culprits and determine the motive behind the murders (25.7.24).
7. Security forces killed outlawed BLA commander identified as Ali Jan and injured two others during an exchange of fire in the Hoshab area of Kech district (25.7.24).
8. Three persons, Muhammad Nasir, Muhammad Ishaq, and Jumma, traveling in a motorcar were killed and another injured in an ambush by unknown gunmen in the Balgatar area of Panjgur district (26.7.24).
9. Unknown gunmen killed two persons, Latif and Amanullah, and injured another in the Chatman area of Panjgur district (27.7.24).

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA (KPK)

1. Unidentified gunmen killed journalist Hassan Zeb in the Akbarpur area of Nowshera district (15.7.24).
2. Security forces killed all 10 terrorists who attacked Bantu Cantt in an operation scattered over 24 hours, resulting in eight security personnel embracing martyrdom. The Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group affiliated with banned TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. The Foreign Office strongly protested and demanded the Taliban-led Afghanistan government take strict action against the culprits. An analytical report by Dr. Naveed Elahi on this connection was published in Strategicbrief.com on 18 July (15 & 16.7.24).
3. Five civilians, including two lady health workers, two children, and a watchman, were martyred in a terrorist attack on a Rural Health Centre in the Kirri Shamozai area of Dera Ismail Khan district. Security forces immediately responded, killing three terrorists, but in the exchange of fire, two soldiers, including Naib Subedar Muhammad Farooq and Sepoy Muhammad Jared Iqbal, embraced martyrdom (16.7.24).
4. Security forces defused an IED device planted by unknown miscreants in a water tank in the Tangay Mela area in Kaniguram town of South Waziristan district (17.7.24).
5. Unidentified terrorists martyred a police official, Umar Naib, and injured two others in an attack on a police post in Takhatbhai, Mardan district (18.7.24).
6. Police Constable Bakhtullah was martyred by unknown shooters in the Nargasi area of Birmal tehsil in South Waziristan district (18.7.24).
7. Two passersby were reportedly killed and four injured when an IED blast targeted former peace committee member Ainullah traveling in a motorcar near a hospital in Wana bazar on Kirikot Road in South Waziristan (19.7.24).
8. A police official named Muhammad Asif Khan posted in the District Security Branch was martyred by unknown armed persons near a CNG station on Hangu Road, Kohat (20.7.24).
9. An unknown sniper reportedly martyred a police officer, Saeedullah, deputed at the Arandu Khwara police check in Urmar area of Peshawar district (21.7.24).
10. A lady Sub Inspector of Motorways police escaped unhurt during an attack by unknown gunmen near Barabanda stop in Nowshera (21.7.24).
11. Three police personnel in a police patrol van sustained injuries when an IED went off in the Sairey Kandao area of Tirah valley in Khyber district (21.7.24).
12. Unknown miscreants blew up a middle school in Mirali tehsil of North Waziristan district (21.7.24).
13. Security forces reportedly killed three terrorists who were attempting to cross from Afghanistan into Pakistan in the border area of Dir district (22.7.24).
14. A police official was reportedly injured in an attack on the security post by terrorists in the Regi area of Peshawar (23.7.24).
15. Two police personnel and a polio worker reportedly sustained injuries during a gun attack by unknown armed men in the Landa Kai area of Swat district (25.7.24).
16. Security forces killed a terrorist commander identified as Razzaq during an exchange of fire in an IBO in North Waziristan district. He was reportedly affiliated with the outlawed TTP’s Hafiz Gul Bahadur group and wanted in several cases of targeted killings and attacks on security forces (26.7.24).
17. Over a property dispute between two tribal groups, 49 persons were killed and over 200 injured in armed clashes between Boshehra and Mali Khel tribesmen in Kurram district. Hostilities spread to other areas, including Peerwar, Tangi, Balish Khel, Khartoum, Kalay, Maqbal, Kunj, Alizai, Para Chamkani, and Karman. The situation was brought under control and a ceasefire secured following the efforts of a jirga comprised of elders of Hangu and Orakzai districts, supported by the administration and security forces (24 to 30.7.24).
18. A midnight attack by terrorists on the Shamshatoo check post in Peshawar district was repulsed by the cops in retaliatory gunfire (28.7.24).
19. Police recovered one AK-47 rifle, seven pistols, a large quantity of bullets, and five kg of hashish, and arrested alleged smugglers during the search of a car bound for Balochistan on the Indus Highway in Kohat district (28.7.24).
20. Security forces in a joint IBO killed three terrorists in Mohmand district. However, during the exchange of fire, Constable Abrar Hussain embraced martyrdom (29.7.24).
21. A terrorist identified as Saifullah alias Mullah, wanted in attacks on security forces, was killed in an encounter in Dera Ismail Khan district (29.7.24).
22. Security forces killed a terrorist during an exchange of fire in North Waziristan district (29.7.24).

PUNJAB

1. CTD police claimed to have arrested senior Al-Qaeda leader Aminul Haq from Sari Alamgir in Gujarat district and recovered weapons and a Pakistan National Identity Card from his possession. He was included in the UN’s list of global terrorists and was a close associate of Osama bin Laden (18.7.24).
2. Police arrested 18 out of 134 suspects for allegedly attacking the Hojra police station in Okara district to get hold of a blasphemy suspect accused of setting fire to pages of the Holy Quran in Bhelopur village. Meanwhile, police shifted the suspect to a safe place for further investigations (19.7.24).
3. CTD police claimed to have arrested 38 suspected terrorists affiliated with outlawed TTP, Daesh, and others from different cities across Punjab province and recovered weapons and explosives from their possession. Those arrested included Faheem, Waheed, Saud, Tahoe, Bach’s, Shahid, Rehman Gul, Sher Jan, Umar Ayala, and Subhan (27.7.24).

SINDH

1. An explosion inside the store of Jamshore police station caused injuries to four policemen and damaged the store premises. Preliminary inquiry suggested that a grenade went off due to extreme hot weather conditions (18.7.24).
2. Unknown armed motorcyclists martyred police Constable Muhammad Youaf in a targeted attack near Karimabad flyover in Karachi (19.7.24).
3. ASI police Muhammad Nasser was martyred by unidentified assailants during a targeted attack near Tibet Center, Karachi (24.7.24).
4. CTD police claimed to have killed a high-profile terrorist identified as Umar Farooq during an exchange of fire in the Machko area in Karachi. He was reportedly affiliated with outlawed TTP and involved in bomb blasts in Abbas Town and Karachi police office in 2013 and 2023, which took the lives of over 40 persons (24.7.24).
5. Two police constables, Abdul Qair Mahar and Zachery Ahmed Taheem, were martyred in an attack by a heavily armed group of dacoits on a checkpost in the limits of Andean Sundrani police station in Ghotki district (28.7.24).

DEFENCE AND SECURITY

1. Pakistan Navy conducted a sea training exercise for trainees from the King Fahad Naval Academy of Royal Saudi Navy Forces (RSNF). Pakistan maintains close military ties with Saudi Arabia (16.7.24).
2. Pakistan Navy deployed its warship PNS Yarmook in the Indian Ocean for the safety and security of merchant ships bound to and from Pakistan. During deployment, the PN Ship will undertake independent as well as combined operations with other friendly and partner nations to achieve common safe and secure maritime objectives (19.7.24).
3. Pakistan Navy assumed command of a multinational task force responsible for maritime security in the Middle East during a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. Pakistan Navy Commodore Asim Sohail Malik took charge as commander of Combined Maritime Force. CTF 150, founded in 2002, is one of the five task forces under Combined Maritime Force (CMF), the world’s largest international partnership with a mission to deter and disrupt the ability of non-state actors to move weapons, drugs, and other illicit substances in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Oman (22.7.24).
4. Pakistan Navy commissioned its offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) 2600 named PNS Husain at Constanta Port in Romania. The ship is a state-of-the-art multipurpose anti-ship and anti-air warfare capable platform with modern self-protection and terminal defense systems. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf attended the ceremony as the chief guest (26.7.24).
5. A function to mark the 97th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China was hosted at GHQ, Rawalpindi where the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, was the chief guest. It was attended by officers of the tri-services of Pakistan and officials of the Chinese embassy, including Defence Attache Major General Wang Zong. On this occasion, the Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir congratulated the PLA and praised its contribution to China’s defense and security (18.7.24). He said that Pakistan-China relations are strong and based on mutual trust and support. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC), attended the Commemoration Ceremony of the 97th founding day of the People’s Liberation Army of China as the chief guest. While congratulating the PLA, he underscored Pakistan’s firm commitment to working closely with China on CPEC, defense cooperation, and regional peace and stability (19.7.24).

Regional

AFGHANISTAN

1. Unidentified individuals fired a rocket near the provincial hospital in Qila-a-Naw; however, no damage to human life occurred. Seven persons were injured in a bomb blast during a Muharram event at the Imamzadeh Yahya shrine in central Sar-e-pol province. ISS-K/Daesh reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack (15 and 19.7.24).
2. Islamic Emirate Afghanistan (IEA) Acting Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, and Director General (DG) of Intelligence Abdul Haq Wasiq reportedly called on Taliban Amir Sheikh Habitullah Akhundzada and briefed him on security issues. He gave necessary instructions to solve them, as quoted by IEA spokespersons Zabhiullah Mujahid and Hamadullah Fitrat as quoted by TOLOnews. Later, Abdul Wasiq, DG Intelligence, speaking at a “programme for Praising Security forces,” claimed that no group other than some intelligence networks are still active in the country. Efforts are underway to identify and arrest them (16 and 25.7.24).
3. The IEA government reportedly severed consular ties with its embassies in Western countries including London, Berlin, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Greece, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Canada, and Australia. The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it bears no responsibility for credentials including passports and visas issued by missions out of step with and not approved by the IEA. It had repeatedly urged the Afghan political and consular missions in European countries to engage with Kabul, but they ignored the instructions and acted arbitrarily without coordination (30.7.24).

INDIA / LOC / LAC

1. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level cabinet meeting on 18.7.24 attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Amit Shah, and others to review alleged militancy in the Illegal Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He directed all concerned quarters to employ all resources to overcome the same. Later, he visited Daras (26.7.24). In compliance, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi, who was the head of the Indian army Northern Command before assuming the office of COAS, reached police headquarters in Jammu on 20.7.24 and chaired a closed-door Joint Security Review conference with the top brass of the military, paramilitary, intelligence, and police. He reviewed ongoing anti-terror operations by security forces and police in the South of the Pir Panjal mountain range areas. The conference emphasized better coordination, interaction, and removing flaws in security deployments and methodologies for conducting operations. It is learned that 3000 soldiers and 500 Special Forces commandos are also being deployed to support existing troops, along with sophisticated weapons, technical gadgets, and surveillance equipment in rural areas and to plug alleged infiltration routes along the Line of Control (LOC) commonly known as the working boundary on Jammu-Sialkot. A meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha was also held in Jammu with the top military and security brass. Eleven security forces personnel, including a captain, were killed during alleged ambushes and attacks by militants in IIOJK in one month. The COAS again visited forward area posts of the Srinagar-based 15th Corps along LOC and reviewed the security situation and operational preparedness of the troops. Later, he proceeded to Dras in Kargil to join the Indian Prime Minister in connection with attending the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed annually in memory of Operation Vijay 25 years ago. PM Modi, while addressing the gathering on this occasion, alleged Pakistan for fomenting proxy war to stay relevant and said that India, with full force, will crush the same and foil any move in the development of IIOJK. On 30.7.24, an express train going from Jammu to Jodhpur, Rajasthan was stopped at Kasu Begu railway station in Firozepur district of Indian Punjab for search after receiving a phone call regarding a bomb threat on board. The Pakistan Foreign Office rejected the Indian Prime Minister’s belligerent remarks made in Daras, Ladakh on 26.7.24, calling them baseless and counterproductive for the resolution of long-standing disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is ready to counter India’s threats and promote peace and stability in the region. According to current affairs analysts, the movement of Indian troops and the threat of PM Modi is significant and exposes any possible aggression by India on LOC or exploiting political, economic, ethnic, and regional issues including CPEC and supporting terrorism inside Pakistan to brand it as an alleged terror-sponsoring state before the global community.

IRAN

1. According to unconfirmed sources, the Commander of the Army’s Ground Forces Engineering group, Brigadier General Ahmed Akbari, reportedly discussed carrying out a plan of “technical operation” of projects along the 300-km border shared between Khorasan Razavi province and Afghanistan. According to Tehran Times, Akbari added that the plan also includes constructing a 4-meter high and 1-meter thick border wall. Earlier, Brigadier General Qaseem Rezaei, the deputy head of the border police, stated that the plan to close the eastern border is on the agenda of security forces to deter/prevent illegal border crossing, drug smuggling, and terrorist groups into Iran. Iran shares a 921-km border with Afghanistan (26.7.24).
2. The new Iranian President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian took the oath of office in a ceremony called “Taniaf” held in the Iranian Parliament in Tehran on 30.7.24. His appointment was already approved by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an endorsement ceremony “Tanfiz” two days ago in accordance with the Constitution. The ceremony was attended by top-ranking political and military leaders as well as foreign leaders and diplomats. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar represented Pakistan at the ceremony. President Masoud Pezeshkian succeeded Ibrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash after getting majority votes on 5th July. He is expected to announce his cabinet shortly. Although he is being called a reformist and moderate by the western media, many geopolitical analysts believe it will be difficult for him to make any major policy shift from the Islamic ideology and support of the Palestinian cause under the current environment. However, his focus seems to be on solving the economic difficulties of the country.
3. Hamas’ top political leader Ismael Haniyeh was assassinated by a predawn airstrike in the Iranian capital, Tehran. Hamas blamed Israel for this terrorist attack that has risked an all-out regional war. Iran’s supreme leader vowed revenge against Israel. The strike came just after Haniyeh had attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president in Tehran — and hours after Israel targeted a top commander in Iran’s ally Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had been threatening Hamas leaders of eliminating them. Iran and Hezbollah are likely to retaliate to avenge the assassination of Hamas leaders.