PESHAWAR: Terror incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have declined by 65% following the launch of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, according to a report released by provincial police on Saturday.
The report stated that 240 incidents of terrorism were recorded in the province prior to the operation, while only 80 incidents have been reported since its initiation. Overall, a total of 323 terror-related incidents have been documented so far this year.
Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched last month in response to what officials described as unprovoked aggression by the Afghan Taliban regime along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. The operation specifically targeted militant networks and their support infrastructure across the border.
According to official figures released earlier, security forces killed 684 militants, including Afghan Taliban operatives, while more than 912 others sustained injuries during the operation.
Information Minister Ataullah Tarar stated that 229 tanks, armoured vehicles, and artillery systems were destroyed. He further added that operations against Fitna al-Khawarij and Afghan Taliban elements resulted in the destruction of 252 militant posts, while 44 others were captured before being demolished.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry attributed the decline in attacks to targeted operations against militant hideouts in Afghanistan. He reiterated the government’s resolve to eliminate terrorism “at all costs,” noting that key masterminds behind major attacks had been neutralised.
Chaudhry also confirmed that Pakistan had shared intelligence regarding terrorist sanctuaries with the Afghan Taliban authorities.
Separately, KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah said the operation had yielded positive outcomes for law and order in the province. Speaking to media, he emphasised that federal and provincial institutions were working in close coordination to eradicate terrorism.
He added that all stakeholders remained aligned in the broader fight against militancy.
Cross-Border Security Concerns
Terrorist attacks in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, have surged since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged authorities in Afghanistan to prevent its territory from being used by militant groups targeting Pakistan. However, officials say little action has been taken against such elements.
Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched months after a ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan in October 2025, following a series of border clashes triggered by cross-border firing incidents.
Pakistan maintains that such incidents were intended to facilitate the infiltration of militant groups into its territory.
Although both sides later agreed to a ceasefire arrangement mediated by Qatar and Turkey, as well as subsequent talks, officials say the agreements failed to fully address Pakistan’s security concerns.
