By Web Desk
Quetta
In a swift and coordinated intelligence-based operation, Pakistan's security forces successfully neutralized five heavily armed militants and safely rescued 23 abducted passengers who had been taken hostage along the vital National Highway (N-25) in the Kalat district of Balochistan, the military's media wing confirmed on Sunday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the counter-terrorism operation was launched on the night between September 18 and 19 following credible intelligence reports that an armed militant cell had established an unauthorized checkpoint on the Chaman-Karachi section of the N-25 highway. The group was actively intercepting commercial and civilian traffic, forcibly offloading passengers, extorting ransom, and seizing vehicles.
Precision Raid and Hostage Extraction
Upon receiving operational coordinates, rapid response teams from the security forces surrounded the militant encampment in the rugged terrain adjacent to the highway corridor. An intense firefight ensued, during which troops effectively neutralized five terrorists while ensuring the complete physical safety of the hostages.
All 23 abducted passengers were extracted without injury and subsequently transported to a secure military facility in Kalat for preliminary medical examinations and debriefing before being reunited with their families. Local administrative officials commended the exceptional tactical discipline of the troops, noting that zero civilian casualties occurred during the raid.
Extensive Arms Caches and Stolen Transport Recovered
During the post-engagement clearance operation, security personnel recovered a substantial arsenal of modern weaponry, including automatic assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), improvised explosive device (IED) components, and tactical communication hardware. In addition to munitions, authorities successfully retrieved 11 stolen commercial vehicles—comprising six transport trucks, three passenger buses, and two private vehicles—that had been seized by the militant network to disrupt supply logistics along the critical transit artery.
The military leadership reaffirmed its unyielding resolve to dismantle extremist networks and protect national connectivity infrastructure, noting that sanitization operations across surrounding mountain ridges are continuing to track potential facilitators.
Strategic Importance of the N-25 Arterial Corridor
The N-25 highway serves as an indispensable economic lifeline, linking Karachi's maritime ports through Quetta to the Afghan border at Chaman. Sustained security across the route is essential for both regional commercial freight and ongoing development projects under the national economic framework.
Civil society organizations, trade bodies, and transport associations across Balochistan expressed widespread relief and gratitude following the successful operation, urging continued high-visibility patrols and surveillance along transit corridors.
Readers can follow live regional security updates, infrastructure developments, and national reports through continuous coverage on INPK news coverage.