ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to combating militant violence in Pakistan on Monday while responding to an attack on a police van in the southwestern Balochistan province a day earlier that claimed the life of a sub-inspector.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent months, including a series of coordinated attacks in Balochistan last month, where over 50 people were killed.
Baloch separatist militants, who are seeking the resource-rich region’s secession, have been targeting government forces and projects under the $65-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The latest attack occurred on Sunday night, resulting in the death of Sub-Inspector Shakeel Ahmed while he was on a routine patrol in Panjgur, located in the western part of the province near the border with Iran, along with a police contingent.
“The entire nation stands with those who sacrifice their lives in the fight against terrorism,” the prime minister was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office.
“Our war against terrorists will continue until terrorism is completely eradicated from the country,” he added.
The official statement said the prime minister expressed deep sorrow over the killing of the police officer, adding that he condemned the incident.
Previously, he said the separatist groups operating in the southwest only wanted to “put an end to the journey of progress in Pakistan.”
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said last month that militant factions targeting his country were launching attacks from safe havens in neighboring Afghanistan, though Kabul denies the allegation.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on police in Panjgur.
