The army of Pakistan has launched the operation Al-Azm in Mastung, Balochistan, on 29th July, during which 15 members of the extremist group Fitna Al Hindustan were killed in the air and ground operations, officials said.

The details indicate that the operation involved simultaneous aerial attack and ground action to eliminate terrorist hideouts, and 15 Fitna Al Hindustan were eliminated, with 12 others injured.

The security operation left a dent in the terrorist network in the region.

Authorities repeated their pledge to eliminate all elements of hostility and their enablers and said they have no respite from operations against the terrorist groups in the region.

The arrested facilitator of Fitna al Khawari in the current week admitted yesterday that the terrorist groups exploit religion and are issuing fatwas to recruit operatives, justify criminal activities and pursue extremist agendas from unregistered seminaries in order to meet the requirements of their respective self-serving agendas.

Maulvi Zafaryab has been arrested and was a student of Jamia Nizamul Uloom, Bannu and is an associate of Fitna al Khawarij, details said. He admitted when questioned that he had been in touch with a foreign commander, Hikmat Roshan, and was a member of the Gul Bahadur Shura.

The man accused had studied Dars-e-Nizami for eight years at the orphan department of Nizamul Uloom, before specialising in Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) for three years at Al-Markaz Al-Islami, Ghoriwala.

Under the pretext of jihad, Khawarij commanders were looking for religious rulings approving extortion and intimidation of businessmen, as well as other illegal acts, according to his statement. He also disclosed that senior members of the terrorist groups paid cash, jobs, and incentives to people for their assistance in carrying out their operations.