By Iftikhar Mashwani
ISLAMABAD : In a very exclusive meeting of the Core Commanders reviewed domestic and regional security challenges and stressed the need to adopt a three-D policy and “whole-of-the-nation and whole-of-the-government approach” to eradicate terrorism from the country.
The meeting was held on Saturday chaired by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Miunir.
In a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the forum “affirmed that the military leadership is cognizant of the full spectrum of the challenges” and it resolved to “shoulder its constitutionally mandated responsibilities with support of the resilient people of Pakistan”.
Pak Army Commanders “reiterated the commitment of the armed forces to fully support national responses against internal and external threats”.
According to ISPR the conference’s participants highlighted that “while security forces are undertaking intelligence-based operations in areas along western border, there is a need to adopt a whole-of-the-nation and whole-of-the-government approach to eradicate the menace of terrorism on a long-term basis.”
According to sources the focus of the meeting was , was on the counter-terrorism campaign that has been approved by the government, with an emphasis on implementing it through a whole-of-system approach.
The conference was held following the army chief’s in-camera briefing to National Assembly members about the country’s security challenges on Friday.
During the briefing, the COAS had acknowledged that the strategy of engaging with terrorists had enabled them to regroup in the tribal areas. The meeting was attended by the country’s political and military leaders who, in response, agreed to revisit the anti-terrorism strategy.
‘Three-pronged strategy to counter militant threat’: In a clear shift from the policy of the previous regime, Friday’s in-camera sitting was told that a three-pronged plan — deter, dialogue and development — to root out terrorism was already underway, after lawmakers expressed serious concerns over the resurgence of terrorist groups.
The agreement came after the military leadership discussed recent acts of terrorism across the country and shared details of efforts being made by security forces aimed at eliminating terrorism, maintaining internal security and defending Pakistan from external threats.
The two-hour in-camera briefing contained updates about the country’s current security issues and the army’s anti-terror operations in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and other parts of the country.During the briefing, Gen Munir also apprised parliamentarians about plans of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and security forces’ endeavours to counter them.
