Rawalpindi:
The main military spokesman said on Saturday that Baluchistan residents are providing more and more information about terrorists and their facilitators, a movement that called critic for the success of anti -terrorist operations in the restless province.
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif, General Director of Public Relations between Services (ISPR), told students in a special session of the Army Internship Program that intelligence -based operations (IBO) depend largely on local cooperation.
“We do not perform sweeping operations unless the premises support us by identifying threats. The military presence alone does not ensure an area: local property is the key,” he said in a sincere discussion with the students, where he addressed questions surrounding military operations, regional concerns and national unity.
“If a citizen provides refuge to terrorists or maintains explosives at home, he will have to face the consequences,” said Lieutenant General Sharif by dissipating the impression that military operations point to communities.
“The entire region or people cannot be punished for a person’s terrorism,” he added. “Our operations are not about displacing communities or punishing whole regions. We only move against confirmed terrorists based on solid intelligence.”
He said that security forces were working to expose not only terrorists but also their facilitators and followers. “The people of Baluchistan face terrorism and point to those who house or facilitate terrorists,” added Lieutenant General Sharif.
Baluchistan, which limits Iran and Afghanistan, has been plagued by a separatist Baloch insurgency of decades, as well as attacks of religious extremists. The province has seen frequent aggressions to security forces, government facilities and projects backed by Chinese.
The military spokesman praised the people of Baluchistan for what he described as a growing resistance to terrorist groups, saying that many were “helpless and fed up with terrorists.” He cited the examples of young professionals from Baloch, including the attached commissioners, such as signs of progress.
He especially mentioned Dr. Samad Yar Jang, a scientist trained in Cambridge, and Shahzaib Rind, Wushu Pakistani and Kickboxing champion, known for his success in Karate’s fight. He added that Baloch women now serve in higher administrative positions, such as the attached commissioners, which according to him symbolizes progress and empowerment. Baloch’s talented and educated has become the teachers of his destiny, he added.
“There is a common wrong idea that Baloch’s young people are disconnected from Pakistan. Actually, they understand the link between their province and the nation,” said the military spokesman.
Lieutenant Sharif also paid tribute to the greatest Muhammad Anwar Kakar, a martyred officer in a bomb attack in Baluchistan. Major Kakar Shaheed, a brave son of the ground, had previously played a key role in repelling an attack against the PC hotel in Gwadar in 2019, he added. “From officers to civilians, sacrifices are made every day to keep Pakistan safe.”
Referring to the ideological roots of Pakistan, Lieutenant General Sharif said that Pakistan was created on the basis of “Kalima” not in ethnic or linguistic lines. “The prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) has taught us that no race or ethnicity is superior to another. That is the basis of our country,” he added.
He also pointed out the diverse ethnic composition of Baluchistan, saying that more than 30% of its population includes Pashunns, and many Baloch tribes live outside the province in Sindh and South Punjab. “Pakistan is not just a country; it is an idea rooted in unity, faith and purpose,” he added.
