Army major killed in Gwadar IED attack; four militants killed in Kalat

“ISPR reported that Major Wajahat Waheed was killed in an IED attack during clearance operations in Gwadar.”

— Editorial Team

Key points

ISPR reported that Major Wajahat Waheed was killed in an IED attack during clearance operations in Gwadar.
Four militants were killed separately in Kalat, where weapons and ammunition were recovered.

General|By Editorial Team|Published 19-Oct-26|Latest update 10/19/2026, 4:07:13 AM|2 min read

A Pakistan Army major was killed in an improvised explosive device attack in Gwadar, while security forces killed four militants in a separate operation in Kalat, the Inter-Services Public Relations said on Monday. The incidents occurred during counterterrorism operations in Balochistan.

According to the military’s account, intelligence reports indicated the presence of militant hideouts in Shadi Kaur, in Gwadar’s Pasni area, and Jattakabad in Kalat district. Forces launched operations to clear these locations and protect nearby communities. In Jattakabad, troops engaged a militant position on October 18, killing four people identified by the military as terrorists and recovering weapons and ammunition.

The fatal attack occurred separately during clearance operations in Shadi Kaur. ISPR identified the officer as Major Wajahat Waheed, a resident of Lahore, who was leading the force component targeted by the explosive device. The military’s statement placed the officer’s death in the Gwadar operation, distinct from the engagement in Kalat.

ISPR said troops would continue searching the affected areas for remaining militants. It linked the operations to the wider counterterrorism campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam, approved through the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan. The statement reiterated the security forces’ commitment to pursuing armed groups and their support networks.

The announcement follows another military briefing issued on Sunday about three operations conducted on October 17 in Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar. ISPR reported eight militants killed across those engagements: five in Quetta’s Panjpai area, two in Nushki and one in Khuzdar. It also reported recovering 490 kilogrammes of explosives in Khuzdar. Those figures concern the earlier operations and are separate from the four deaths reported in Kalat.

The latest incidents come against a broader increase in militant violence. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies recorded 225 attacks nationwide during September, compared with 199 in August, according to published figures attributed to the institute. That represents a rise of approximately 13 per cent and a third consecutive monthly increase. These national figures provide context rather than a count of attacks in Balochistan alone.

The immediate next step announced by the military is the continuation of clearance operations. Its account remains the basis for the reported casualties, weapons recovery and circumstances of the officer’s death.