Peshawar:
Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday criticized the past’s politicization of terrorist operations and the repatriation of Afghan refugees and said it had created space for anti-state elements to refresh in Khyber-Pakhwa and fuel for a reform.
When he spoke at a press conference in Corp’s headquarters in Peshawar, LT-Sen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, he said Pakistan’s national action plan (NAP) is only formulated after the APS attack in 2014 and revised in 2021, has not been fully implemented by kinetic operations.
“No solid efforts were made to strengthen the justice system, Madrasa reforms and equip CTD, especially in KP,” he said, adding that there are approx. 4,355 religious seminars in KP, of which approx. 55 percent is only registered.
He reminded that the then government’s “by 2021 removed certain provisions from the plan-despite progress within these areas and introduced a revised version.” All parties that were resumed to enforce the plan, “Yet the implementation remains absent.”
Without naming any party, he attributed the deteriorating security situation in KP for internal lapse. “The provincial government has fallen into the terror-crime-nexus,” he said, referring to illegal activities such as drug trafficking and non-Custom-paid vehicles that “enabled lawlessness to flourish and terrorism to breed.”
“When the proposal was made to seal the Pak-Afghan border, there were people with power who were against the-only to keep their criminal activities going,” he added. “Terrorism exists today because we are not following the national action plan.”
DG ISPR said that the roots of terrorism were not only across the border, but within Pakistan’s governmental failure. “Why is 70 percent of all terrorist activity in KP and Balochistan and not in other two provinces? The answer is good governance,” he said.
He accused the KP government of politicizing terrorism and weakening the state’s decision by seeking negotiations with militants. “To call for conversations with non-governmental actors is a failure of governance,” he noted.
LT genes Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry insisted that conversations cannot be held with anti-state elements or Fitnaul Khwarij, who kills innocents and attacks security forces, warning that the status quo to tackle terrorism through dialogue “will not be further tolerated.”
He called on the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to support security forces from breaking the political criminal terror-nexus, disturbing smuggling and illegal trade, which was the main causes of terrorism.
DG ISPR, which provided operational statistics, said events with terrorism in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa increased after 2021, resulting in terrorist operations intensified. He reported that 14,535 intelligence -based operations (IBOs) were performed in KP over the past year, resulting in 769 terrorists being killed.
He said 577 people including 271 security staff and 165 civilians were martyrated during this period. The Army spokesman added that an average of 40 IBOs are led daily in KP and kills about three terrorists a day. Since September 15 this year, he produced that 10,115 IBOs produced 917 terrorists eliminated and 516 fatalities, including 311 soldiers and 73 police personnel.
“The number of killed terrorists this year is higher than in the last 10 years,” he claimed, questioning why terrorists were not punished by the courts in KP.
DG ISPR defended the precision of operations and said extra care is being taken to avoid safety damage. “Our martyrs are our pride. Army officers in Pakistan lead the front of our people’s safety in terrorist operations that were hardly seen in the world,” he said.
He warned facilitators of “Fitna Al Khwarij” to surrender them to the state or prepare for robust military action.
He said facilitators “have no opportunity than to cooperate with the security forces to eliminate these terrorists or meet powerful actions.”
He reiterated that the relief of Fitnaul Khwarij is unacceptable and promised that the campaign against terrorism will continue despite political distractions and negative propaganda in KP.
“Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the people of Pakistan have borne brown of terrorism with courage and steadfastness, and their victims will not be wasted,” he said. “The war on terrorism is a struggle for our survival and will be fought collectively.”
DG ISPR claimed that elements inside Afghanistan, including Indian sponsored proxies and non-governmental actors, were used to launch attacks in Pakistan.
He said that border security is a shared responsibility between countries, but accused actors across the western border of facilitating Fitnaul Khawarij, smuggling and illegal drug trafficking that has negative effects in Pakistan.
LT genes Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry warned that propagandists who criticize anti-terror operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa while advocating illegal trade and smuggling mean supporting infiltration of unwanted elements involved in undermining actions in KP.
He promised that operations against the crime terror Nexus and illegal drug trafficking continue until Fitnaul Khwarij is defeated at all costs.
He described Afghanistan as a neighbor and brotherly land, adding that Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for three decades and relieved transit trade and medical assistance to Afghans.
With reference to the Doha agreement, he said that the preliminary Afghan government has a responsibility to ensure that Afghan Earth is not used against Pakistan. Pakistan has raised terrorism symptoms with Afghan authorities at various levels with reference to the recent visits to Afghanistan by Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
LT-genes Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry warned that Pakistan will protect citizens’ lives and property and will not give any opportunity to challenge the state’s writing.
He also reiterated that weapons and ammunition worth an estimated $ 7.2 billion were left in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal, who fanned terrorism in the region and warned that these weapons could also be used by terrorists all over the world for monetary gains.
When he repeated that the armed forces should not be drawn into politics, he described May 9 as a “black day” when the government and security installations were attacked and said those responsible are being prosecuted under the law.
He also emphasized the need for a strong justice system to address violations on social media.
LT genes Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan remains resolute in fighting against terrorism. “We are fighting for Pakistan and supporting the democratic parliamentary system,” and warned that no individual or group is allowed to politicize the martyr’s blood.
He said unpleasant propaganda was behind terrorism in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and major responsibilities rest on all stakeholders to work together to reject such propagandists imperative of peace and economic prosperity in the country.
