ISLAMABAD:
On Friday, the military traced terror attacks in Pakistan to Afghan soil, saying militant groups were being given “sanctuaries, support and freedom” to operate unrestricted within Afghan territory.
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, chief military spokesperson, emphasized at a press conference in Rawalpindi that Pakistan would spare no effort to dismantle terrorist networks and ensure the safety of its citizens.
“The Army Chief maintains a clear and firm stance that Pakistan is concerned about the safe havens, facilitation and rampant activities of proscribed organizations operating from Afghan soil,” said Lt Gen Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations ( ISPR), said at the press conference.
The military spokesperson claimed that Afghanistan-based terrorist groups were carrying out attacks in Pakistan and emphasized that “Pakistan will leave no stone unturned to dismantle terrorist networks and ensure the safety of its citizens.”
He said that for the first time there was a clear and comprehensive policy on Afghanistan. He warned that the status quo was no longer acceptable. “Afghanistan will have to choose its bilateral relations with Pakistan over Fitna Alkhawarij,” he stressed.
This statement by the ISPR came amid rising tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed an intelligence-based operation against militants near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, but refrained from specifically mentioning that the operation was carried out inside Afghanistan.
Earlier this week, the Afghan government summoned a senior Pakistani diplomat in Kabul to register a formal protest. In this context, DG ISPR made it clear that Pakistan would do everything possible to ensure the safety of its citizens.
During the press conference, a journalist raised a question mentioning former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s criticism of Pakistan’s Afghan policy, suggesting that the issues should be resolved through dialogue. .
In response, the ISPR chief stated: “Pakistan has been collaborating with the Afghan interim government for the last two years, directly asking it to prevent its territory from being used for terrorism.”
Without directly naming the previous government or Imran, he commented: “When the backbone of the terrorists was broken in 2021, who decided to resettle them through negotiations? We are all paying the price for those decisions.”
He added: “It is now evident who insisted in 2021 on negotiating with these militants, and Pakistan, especially Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, is bearing the consequences of that stubbornness.”
Defending the military court’s verdict regarding the May 9, 2023 cases, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry termed the violent PTI protests as “political terrorism” and said those protests, along with the 2014 attack on parliament and other government bodies. The buildings, as well as the violent events of May 9, were part of a “cycle of negative politics and violence.”
Without directly naming the PTI, he referred to its protests last month as a “November conspiracy” which he said were driven by a mentality of political terrorism. “The riots of November 26 were the November Conspiracy and it was a political act.
He said the military court had completed sentencing all those involved in the riots based on evidence and testimony, adding: “Pakistan will make its decisions independently, without being intimidated by any foreign pressure.”
He stated that the perspective of the Armed Forces on May 9 was crystal clear. “This is not just the case for the military; it is the case for the nation. If an armed or violent group tries to impose its will and its thoughts without being stopped under the Constitution, where will this society go?” asked.
The ISPR chief emphasized that the May 9-related cases in the anti-terrorism courts (ATC) must also reach their logical conclusion, and the “planners and heinous characters” behind such acts must be punished.
Lt Gen Chaudhry also claimed that this “negative policy” in the country was being fueled by “fake news”. He highlighted the example of May 9 being labeled a “false flag operation” or blaming the military and other institutions for it.
When asked about the court-martial of former spy chief, Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed, he described the trial of the former Director General of Intelligence Services (ISI) as a true example of the army’s accountability system. .
The system, he said, was “incomparable and unique and does not concern itself with rank and stature” in dispensing justice. “If someone works for their own interests in the military, this accountability system comes into play no matter what.”
He stressed that the army has professional relations with all governments and should not be given any political nuance. “It is positive that political parties engage in conversations among themselves on these issues.”
During the press conference, the chief military spokesperson also addressed the country’s overall security situation, ongoing security operations, border issues and responded to political questions raised by journalists.
At the beginning of the press conference, he spoke about the security operations carried out this year. “This year, security forces and law enforcement agencies [LEAs] have successfully carried out a total of 59,775 intelligence-based operations [IBOs] against terrorists and their facilitators,” he said.
“During these successful operations, 925 terrorists, including members of the Khawarij faction, were killed, while hundreds were arrested.” He added that more militants were eliminated this year than in the past five years, including 73 high-value targets and 27 Afghan extremists.
During the press conference, the spokesperson also highlighted that in Balochistan the militants were “indoctrinating innocent people and using boys and girls for armed rebellion against the State, which is a shameful act.”
He further said that 383 LEA officers and personnel were also martyred during these operations across the country.
He described the current situation in Kurram district as a “clear example of misplaced priorities and a case of poor governance, weak legal system and lack of interest of the provincial government in the administrative issues of the province.” solve this problem,” he stressed.
Regarding India, the military spokesman said: “We are fully aware of the threats posed by India on the eastern border.” He mentioned that this year, India committed 25 ceasefire violations, was involved in 564 incidents of unprovoked firing and violated Pakistani airspace 61 times.
(With contributions from the editorial staff)
