Mianwali (Dunya News/Web Desk) – Security forces successfully thwarted a terrorist attack on a training airbase in Mianwali, as confirmed by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The attackers targeted the military installation on Saturday, resulting in the elimination of three terrorists. The ISPR reported that the troops deployed at the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) airbase reacted swiftly to the assault, preventing further damage. However, three aircraft grounded at the facility and a fuel tanker sustained minor damage in the process.
According to the ISPR, the three terrorists were neutralized as they attempted to breach the training airbase’s defenses, while the remaining three were encircled. A rapid response ensured the protection of national assets, and ongoing clearance and combing operations are in progress to secure the area.
Responsibility Claimed
In contrast, Reuters reported that a spokesperson for the terrorist group Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) claimed responsibility for the attack on the PAF base carried out on Saturday morning. TJP, a relatively newly emerged group, has conducted several high-profile attacks in the country, including an incident in July when they killed 12 soldiers at a Pakistani military base in Balochistan.
Increase in Terror Attacks
Pakistan has experienced a surge in terrorist attacks on military targets in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with 17 soldiers martyred in separate incidents just a day earlier. Fourteen of these brave soldiers lost their lives in an attack on a military convoy in Gwadar. The ISPR expressed unwavering determination to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country, stating that such sacrifices of the nation’s soldiers only strengthen their resolve.
The remaining three soldiers were martyred in the DI Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with two losing their lives during an intelligence-based operation and one falling victim to an improvised explosive device (IED).
Meanwhile, Mianwali, a district in western Punjab that borders Karak and Lakki Marwat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has repeatedly experienced terror attacks, with law enforcement officers being frequent targets.
General Elections
With Pakistan scheduled to hold general elections on February 8 next year, these acts of terrorism are a cause for concern. Political leadership and parties will need to exercise extra caution during their election campaigns. The JUI-F, led by seasoned politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has been a recurrent target for terrorists, as Maulana remains a staunch advocate of parliamentary democracy despite his strong religious vote bank.
In July, dozens of his supporters were killed in a suicide blast at a party convention in Bajaur district, which was formerly part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In September, senior leader Hafiz Hamdullah narrowly escaped an attack in Mastung, Balochistan.
