No Safe Haven for Terror: The Truth Behind the Operation at Zehri

 

Recent commentary surrounding the security forces operation in Tehsil Zehri, particularly the editorial titled “Siege of Tehsil Zehri”, presents a troubling mischaracterization of both the nature of the threat in Balochistan and the response of the state. It perpetuates a narrative that blurs the line between civilian suffering and terrorists exploitation, conveniently ignoring the reality on the ground: that parts of Zehri were forcefully sieged by the terrorists of Fitna-Al-Hindustan responsible for numerous terrorists attacks against both civilians and security personnel.

Let us be clear: the state is not at war with its people. It is at war with those who wage war on the people.

Restoring Law, Not Waging War

The editorial paints the military operation as an indiscriminate siege - complete with tanks, helicopters, and curfews as if this response emerged in a vacuum. It did not! This operation follows weeks of terrorists presence in parts of Zehri, where armed terrorists forcibly seized control, disrupted civilian life, done extortion and created a vacuum of local civil administration. For nearly two months, these terrorists held sway over certain villages - not through consent or popular mandate, but through fear, coercion, and violence.

To equate the state’s response to terrorism with repression is to equate order with chaos, and justice with anarchy. The security forces are not at all targeting the innocent; they are dismantling hideouts of terrorists who have repeatedly shown no regards for human life, whether uniformed or civilian.

Civilian Protection is Central

The accusation that women and children are being indiscriminately God forbid killed in the operation is both grave and unsubstantiated. Civilian safety remains a core tenet of every counterterrorism strategy implemented by the Pakistani armed forces. Operational decisions are calibrated to minimize the collateral damage. Tragically, terrorists continue to use civilians as human shields, embedding themselves in populated areas to provoke precisely the kind of moral confusion that editorials like this help perpetuate.

Let it be said unequivocally: innocents are not the targets - terrorists are.

Humanitarian Needs are Acknowledged - but Must be Safe

Yes, there are humanitarian challenges in Zehri; but the causes are not one-sided. FAH terrorists have weaponized humanitarian conditions, often planting IEDs on local routes, commandeering supplies of locals, and using civilian especially women movements for cover. The state is working, through controlled corridors and under operational safety, to ensure that food, water, and medicines reach those in need. But no humanitarian relief can proceed recklessly when active terrorists and their handlers continue to pose threats.

The Path to Peace Exists; but only through Peaceful Means

The editorial rightly points out that long-term peace in Balochistan cannot be achieved solely through force. On that, we agree. But dialogue cannot be held at gunpoint and rigidity. The door to political inclusion remains open to all those who renounce violence and return to the democratic process. Many former terrorists / farraries have chosen this path - and have been reintegrated with dignity. But those who continue to kill, intimidate, and sabotage development will not be negotiated with; they will be confronted.

Peace is a two-way street. The state has shown repeated willingness to walk it. The question is - will the militants?

No Refuge for Terrorism, No Threat to the Innocent

The tragedy of Balochistan is not that the state has sought to restore order, but that certain terrorists groups have hijacked legitimate grievances and converted them into terrorism. The people of Balochistan deserve development, dignity, and justice - but above all, they deserve peace. That peace will not come from looking away while terrorists groups dig into civilian areas and declare war on the state. It will come when the rule of law prevails - when no one, regardless of their cause, can kill without consequence.

Pakistan remains committed to a peaceful and prosperous Balochistan. But let there be no confusion: those who pick up arms against the state will not find sanctuary. Not in Zehri. Not anywhere.