Ziarat Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdul Quddus says heavily armed militants stormed police checkpoint, leading to an exchange of gunfire in which nine police personnel embraced martyrdom
QUETTA: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 9th, 2026) At least nine police personnel including two SHOs were martyred in a militant attack on a police checkpoint in the Mangi area of Balochistan's Ziarat district, officials said on Tuesday.
Ziarat Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdul Quddus said that the heavily armed militants stormed the police checkpoint, leading to an exchange of gunfire in which nine police personnel embraced martyrdom.
The bodies of the martyred officials were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Ziarat for medico-legal formalities, he said.
The SP initially stated that five police personnel had been taken hostage by the attackers and that security forces had launched efforts to recover them.
However, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind later said a clearance operation against militants identified as members of Fitna al-Khawarij had been completed successfully. The operation was jointly conducted by the Frontier Corps (FC), Police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), the Special Operations Wing (SOW), and the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF).
Shahid Rind confirmed that the attack claimed the lives of nine police officers and personnel, including the station house officers (SHOs) of Mangi and Kowas police stations, the in-charge of the Anti-Terrorism Force, and other officials.
He added that DSP Ghulam Sarwar and eight other police personnel safely reached Kach Police Station during the operation, while Constable Rizwan, who had earlier been reported missing, was also recovered safely.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the attack and paid tribute to the martyred police personnel. Expressing condolences to the bereaved families, he prayed for strength and patience for them in this difficult time.
The interior minister said the sacrifices of the martyrs in the fight for peace would always be remembered, adding that such cowardly acts of terrorism could not weaken the country's determination to eliminate militancy and ensure lasting peace.
