• ISPR says no ‘functional operational assets’ were damaged
• Heavy gunshots wake up area residents
• Two main roads kept shut until military gave clearance

MIANWALI: In yet an­other assault targeting security personnel over the past 24 hours in three provinces, terrorists attac­ked the PAF’s heavily-guarded M.M. Alam Base early on Saturday morning, the military said, adding that “all nine terrorists were sent to hell”.

On Friday, 17 security personnel were martyred in an ambush, bomb blasts and security operation in Gwadar, Dera Ismail Khan and Lakki Marwat.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations after the conclusion of the “combing and clearance operation” on Saturday, no damage had been done to any of the PAF’s functional operational assets, while only some damage was done to three already phased-out nonoperational aircraft during the attack.

In an earlier statement, the military’s media affairs wing had said that the attack on the air base had been foiled, with three terrorists “neutralised” and three others “cornered/isolated”.

In the afternoon update, it said, “Alhamdulillah, co­­m­bing and clearance opera­tion at PAF Training Air­base Mianwali has been concluded and all nine terrorists have been sent to hell”.

It added that the operation had been launched to “eliminate any potential threat in the surrounding area following the cowardly and failed terrorist attack on the base this morning”.

According to reports, terrorists scaled the eight-foot high boundary wall of the PAF base after cutting the barbed wire and attacked some grounded aircraft beside damaging an oil bowser.

Police force from Mian­wali, Bhakkar, Khushab and Sargodha districts rea­c­hed the spot and cordoned off the base. It closed the Mianwali-Talagang and Mianwali-Muzaffargarh roads and restored the traffic only after the ISPR gave the clearance.

Heavy gunshots woke up people residing near the base.

In a statement issued to the media, the Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan, a newly emerged group that is an affiliate of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakis­tan, claimed responsibility for the attack on the PAF base.

Hashim Khan, a citizen, said he and his family woke up at around 3am to heavy exchange of gunfire which continued for an hour before it gradually subsided. “No shot was heard after 4.30am,” he told Dawn.

Hashim said a large nu­mber of local people gat­hered around the base during the operation, but did not cross the police cordon.

Expressing surprise over the terrorists’ attack on the base, another resident said, “The base is surrounded by a high wall and thick barbed wire. It has CCTV cameras and above all round-the-clock security patrolling across the wall, as I could see from the top floor of my house.”

The ISPR further said, “the prompt and professional conclusion of the operation serves as a stark reminder to all enemies of peace that Pakistan’s Armed Forces remain vigilant and are fully capable of defending the homeland from any threat.”

In recent months, militants attacked a police station and a police check-post in Eisakhel tehsil of Mianwali which were thwarted.

Caretaker Prime Minis­ter Anwaarul Haq Kakar commended the security forces, saying that the valiant PAF had proven its mettle by thwarting the terrorist attack once again.

“Any attempt to undermine our security will meet with unwavering resista­nce. The nation stands with you and we salute your cou­rage and resolve,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2023