June 26 — A senior Pakistani intelligence officer, reportedly involved in the 2019 capture of Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, has been killed in a recent encounter in Balochistan, according to regional reports.
Identified as Colonel Waqas Mirza, the officer was said to be affiliated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was reportedly killed in the Turbat region during an ambush believed to have been carried out by militants belonging to the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), a separatist group that has intensified attacks on security forces in recent months.
Colonel Mirza was allegedly involved in key military and intelligence operations, including the high-profile case of Wing Commander Abhinandan, whose fighter jet was brought down during a confrontation along the Line of Control on February 27, 2019. The Indian pilot was captured by Pakistani forces after ejecting from his MiG-21 aircraft and was held in custody for nearly three days before being handed over to India.
Though Pakistani authorities have not released an official statement regarding Mirza’s death, several unverified reports on social media platforms linked to Baloch separatist groups have claimed responsibility for the targeted killing. These claims, however, have not been independently confirmed.
Sources in Indian defence circles have acknowledged awareness of the incident but have not provided official confirmation or comment. Officials indicated that the individual in question had long been tracked for his alleged involvement in activities related to cross-border operations and covert intelligence tasks.
The situation in Balochistan has grown increasingly unstable over the past year, with separatist outfits escalating their attacks on Pakistani military personnel and installations. The province, which remains a critical part of China’s Belt and Road-linked China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has become a focal point for armed resistance, fuelled by long-standing demands for greater autonomy and control over local resources.
The reported killing of Colonel Mirza, if verified, could mark a significant setback for Pakistan’s internal security operations in Balochistan. It may also revive attention around unresolved tensions from the 2019 military standoff between India and Pakistan, particularly surrounding the events that followed the Pulwama attack and subsequent Balakot airstrikes.
As of now, no official response has been issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs or the Indian Air Force. The matter is being closely monitored as more information is expected to emerge in the coming days.
