Local government of Pakistan's Balochistan province prepares to establish a new a Special Counter-Terrorism Wing within the Gendarmerie Force (Levies), Dawn reported on March 18.

" The initiative aims to enhance the force’s capabilities to fight acts of terrorism more effectively," said Abdul Ghaffar Magsi, head of the Gendarmerie Force of Balochistan.

He noted that the establishment of a special wing will primarily be aimed at more effectively identifying and disrupting terrorist networks in the province, as well as closely cooperating with other security agencies.

According to the head of Levies, the wing being established will receive latest weapons and uniforms, as well as special equipment to effectively counter terrorists and militants. In addition, the employees of the counter-terrorism wing of Levies Force will undergo enhanced special training.

Earlier in Balochistan there were several cases when during attacks on gendarmerie forces and their checkpoints, law enforcement officers did not offer any resistance, and the militants would take the gendarmes' weapons away.

It should be noted that according to statistics, up to 62% of all violent deaths in Balochistan are victims of terrorist attacks. Thus, on March 11, extremists fr om the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked a train with almost 500 passengers. During the operation to free the hostages, the terrorists killed 26 passengers, wh ere 18 were Pakistani border guards and military personnel.