RAWALPINDI, Apr 25 (APP):Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Tuesday said the Pakistan Army along with civil and military intelligence agencies is conducting over 70 intelligence based operations (IBOs) on the average across the country to stem out the recent wave of terrorism and resurgence.
The armed forces spokesperson was holding a media briefing on the prevailing security situation, counter-terrorism efforts and IBOs to contain terrorism activities across the country.
Major General Chaudhry said the security forces have so far conducted some 8,269 IBOs since 2023 and apprehended 1,378 terrorists and killed 157 among them during the anti-terrorism operations. He added that for the past many months, the terrorists activities were underway to destabilize peace in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces.
“The security forces are focusing on it. The civil and military law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have made wonderful measures. However, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Separatist organizations have been found behind all that,” the DG ISPR said.
He said since the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan, some 436 terrorist incidents took place that martyred 293 innocent civilians and injured 521 individuals. “Today, Alhamdulilah (Thanks to Allah) with the support of the nation, there is no ‘No Go Area’ in Pakistan,” he added.
The armed forces spokesperson underlined that there were few terrorist groups making hostile activities whereas proper efforts were underway to exterminate them. He added that a large cache of illegal weapons, ammunition and ordnance was being recovered from the terrorists during various IBOs and further recovery was underway.
The Peshawar Police Lines and Karachi Police Office (KPO) attacks showed the nefarious intentions of the country’s enemies, whereas these terrorists had no contact with Islam, he added.
He informed that Peshawar attack was done by Jamaat ul Ahrar and the attacker hailed from Afghanistan. He added that the Peshawar attack facilitator was arrested who had trained the suicide attackers and received a sum of Rs7.5 million for facilitation and execution of the attack. “The attack on Peshawar Police Lines was postponed twice due to lack of the people offering prayer in the mosque. In the third time, the attack was executed in the presence of maximum people,” the ISPR DG said.
He added that the KPO attack facilitator Aryad Ullah Waheed alias Abdul Aziz was also arrested who received directions from TTP leadership and got Rs 3 million whereas he bought a car from that money to execute the attack.
The ISPR DG mentioned that during the anti-terrorism operations since January 2023, some 137 officers and soldiers have embraced martyrdom and 117 got injured. He said that the nation paid tribute to these brave sons of the soil.
He added that the intelligence agencies’ day and night efforts had helped to arrest Baloch terrorist commander Gulzar Alam alias Shambey.
Pakistan armed forces’ efforts were not hidden to any and if compared to the world forces under which circumstances and resources it fought against terrorism, there was no precedent to it, he added. “Our fight will continue till termination of the last terrorist,” he vowed.
Highlighting the Western Border Management measures, the ISPR DG said almost 98 percent border fencing along 2,611 kilometers Pak-Afghan international border was completed and 85 percent fencing was completed along Pak-Iran border.
He added that 85 percent construction of forts along Pak-Afghan and 33 percent along Pak-Iran border was completed.
During this entire process, he said many soldiers of Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom to complete fencing.
He added that 65 percent area in the newly merged tribal districts was cleansed from mines as some 98,000 mines have been neutralized.
The ISPR DG said ulemas and media have played their complete role isn resisting terrorism which was appreciable as they fully rejected their narrative.
He also shed light on the measures for enduring peace and socio-economic uplift of the terrorism-impacted areas of the country.
Major General Ahmed Sharif said socio-economic measures were pivotal to restore the development in the disaster hit areas.
Some 3,654 development projects worth Rs162 billion have been initiated including construction of markets, education and health facilities and were under execution, he added.
He said the Army fully supported youth employment initiatives in the terrorism-impacted areas whereas 14,000 local youth were inducted in Army and FC. Some 1,492 individuals are studying in the Army educational institutions, he added.
In Balochistan, he said there has been improvement in law and order situation whereas the terrorists want to harm China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other development projects that were underway.
He highlighted that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir had made cut in Army budgets for supporting quick response initiatives. He added that security was provided to these projects.
He said that the Reko Diq Mine project was an important initiative that would play its role in the uplift of the province.
The ISPR DG also underlined that Pakistan Army also provided relief to quake-hit Turkiye and Syria. The Army’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams alongwith Pakistan Air Force and Navy also took part in the rescue and relief efforts whereas the governments of Turkiye and Syria acknowledged their efforts.
He also mentioned the Pakistan Army’s austerity measures and said, after detailed review of operational and non-operational expenses, reduction has been made in petroleum, ration, equipment and other non-operational expenses.
Through the use of technology, tech-based simulation exercises instead of outdoor drills and online meetings of the staff were adopted to contain expenses, he added.
He said, “After two decades, we as a nation have bravely fought against terrorism and victoriously continued to fight with great determination. We will have to play our individual and collective role in sustaining peace.”
Responding to media queries, he said the counter-terrorism operations were based on four components of clear, hold, build and transfer. The forces used to go in an affected area, terminate terrorists, revive socio-economic status and transfer the area to civil administration.
The DG ISPR said that the government had realized to move towards through enduring peace by build and transfer.
He added that hostile agencies were working and would be making all out efforts to fail it.
Replying to a query pertaining to India, he said Indian aggression and false statements could not change history.
Kashmir’s disputed status was globally recognized and could not be changed. It was never an integral part of India, nor it will remain its part, he added.
The COAS, he said first visited the Line of Control (LoC) and said that Pakistan armed forces could defend every inch of the country and could take war to the enemies’ home.
He added that Pakistan armed forces were the battle hardened forces after fighting war against terrorism for two decades and its officers rendered huge sacrifices.
In 2019, Pulwama Attack was orchestrated and Indian Air Force intruded Pakistani airspace and the Pakistan Air Force’s preparedness was evident, he said.
He also commented on Eastern Border situation and said, the situation at the Eastern Border remained peaceful due to Pakistan-India Director General Military Operations (DGMOs) Ceasefire 2003 implementation and the 2021 dialogue on the issue.
He informed that Pakistan always cooperated with United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) and gave full access to LoC but India did not give such access to any.
He elaborated that 16 visits of foreign media and the OIC Secretary General’s special visits to LoC were organized and no such access was given by India.
“India did some 56 small scaled ceasefire violations, 25 tactical air violations and six quadcopter were hunted down by Pakistan Army along the LoC. Pakistan Army is all time ready and determined to fight against Indian tactics,” he added.
Referring to social media campaign against institutions, he said the Constitution gave freedom of expression under some legal caveats. He added that the discussion on social media against state institutions was senseless, unconstitutional and illogical.
He said that TTP and Pakistan Armed Forces had a relationship of kinetic operations. The decision of dialogue with TTP was made by the then government, he added.
He added that these hostile and inimical elements and agencies have no faith and religion as they attack all without any discrimination including law enforcement agencies (LEAs), ulema, forces and media etc.
He commended that the KP Police had rendered huge sacrifices and the nation must acknowledge it as the armed forces had acknowledged it.
He added that Army was supporting for training and joint intelligence-based operations and Intelligence sharing with KP Police.
Responding to another query, he said the armed forces veteran organizations were for the welfare of veterans and raise their issues. “The veteran organizations are not commercial or political organizations. The ex-servicemen should avoid being political,” he added.
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