Quetta: Former Police Surgeon Remanded in Anti-Terror Custody as Security Forces Report 48 Militant Deaths
Quetta this week became the focal point of two converging stories that define the current state of Balochistan: a former police surgeon was placed in Counter-Terrorism Department custody under charges of statements against the state, while the military reported the killing of 48 militants in operations spanning the provincial capital and surrounding districts. Civil and military officials also gathered at Quetta's garrison for the central provincial ceremony marking Pakistan's Defence and Martyrs' Day.
Former Police Surgeon Dr Ayesha Faiz Remanded in CTD Custody for Three Days
An Anti-Terrorism Court in Quetta on Monday granted a three-day physical remand of former police surgeon Dr Ayesha Faiz into the custody of the Counter-Terrorism Department in connection with cases registered against her. Special ATC Judge Muhammad Ali Mubeen approved the remand after CTD officials produced Dr Ayesha before the court and requested additional time for investigation. Officials confirmed that multiple cases have been registered against the former police surgeon with both the CTD and the National Commission for Child Rights, with ongoing inquiries in progress across both bodies. Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Lango addressed the arrest at a press conference, stating that the police action was taken due to her alleged statements against the state and state institutions. Responding to questions about whether the arrest was linked to her earlier public criticism of Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti and himself, Lango rejected those reports, stating he remained unconcerned with personal criticism and emphasised that the matter pertained strictly to allegations levelled against the state and its institutions. Dr Ayesha, who served as a police surgeon in Quetta, had been a vocal commentator on enforced disappearances and human rights issues in Balochistan in the period preceding her arrest. The CTD remand provides investigators a period of custody to advance the formal inquiries registered against her under anti-terrorism statutes, with the hearings taking place against a backdrop of heightened security sensitivity in the province. [2]
🤝 Quetta Hosts Central Balochistan Ceremony for Defence and Martyrs' Day
Dignified ceremonies were held at the Quetta garrison on September 6 to mark Pakistan's Defence and Martyrs' Day, drawing together the Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan, the Corps Commander, and other senior civil and military officials to honour the country's fallen soldiers. A smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Army presented a salute at the Martyrs' Monument in Quetta, where civil and military officials laid floral wreaths and offered prayers, paying tribute to those who gave their lives in defence of the country. The Frontier Corps Balochistan also organised a separate ceremony to acknowledge the supreme sacrifices of personnel who served in the province, highlighting the Quetta garrison's dual role as a military operations hub and a site of public remembrance. In Balochistan, roads in Gwadar were decorated with banners highlighting national resolve, sacrifice, steadfastness and courage as part of the broader provincial observances, extending the day's significance beyond the provincial capital. Companion ceremonies were held at the Malir Garrison in Karachi, attended by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the Corps Commander Karachi, who laid floral wreaths and met with families of martyrs. Defence and Martyrs' Day is observed annually on September 6, commemorating Pakistan's 1965 war with India, and the ceremonies across Balochistan underscored the province's particular resonance with themes of sacrifice and national service given the ongoing security operations in the region. [5]
ISPR: 48 Militants Killed in Balochistan Operations Including Quetta District
Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations announced on Friday, September 5, that security forces had eliminated 48 militants belonging to the groups Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khwarij across Balochistan in the preceding 48 to 72 hours. The ISPR described the two organisations as Indian proxy groups, reflecting the military's official characterisation of Balochistan's insurgency as externally directed. In the 12 to 24 hours immediately preceding the statement, security forces conducted multiple intelligence-based operations in Mastung, Quetta, Kalat and Sibi districts, eliminating 36 militants in that shorter window alone. On the Friday of the announcement, security forces identified and engaged a militant group during operations in Mastung, with the ISPR statement describing those killed as Indian-sponsored fighters. The cumulative 48-figure covers the broader 48 to 72-hour period of coordinated operations across the province. The inclusion of Quetta district among the operational zones reflects the ongoing security pressure being applied in and around the provincial capital, alongside the more remote terrain of Kalat and Sibi. Balochistan has been the site of sustained counter-insurgency operations involving the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps, with tempo increasing significantly in the period since late 2025. The ISPR's framing of militants as Indian proxies is the consistent official position of Pakistan's military; Baloch nationalist and separatist organisations have historically rejected this attribution. The operations across Mastung, Quetta, Kalat and Sibi within a single 72-hour span signal continued coordinated pressure on militant networks operating in the province. [6]
Sources: [2] The Express Tribune · [5] RADIO PAKISTAN · [6] The News Pakistan