RAWALPINDI -UNS: Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has said that the war against terrorism is a collective war of the entire nation and that Pakistan is fully determined to eradicate terrorism. He stated that security forces have conducted 75,000 intelligence-based operations.
Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the purpose of the briefing was to provide a comprehensive overview of the measures taken against terrorism over the past year.
He said the fight against terrorism has been ongoing for more than two decades, and complete clarity now exists between the state of Pakistan and its people on this issue. He emphasized that terrorists have no connection with Islam and that Afghanistan has become a base of operations for terrorism in the region.
He further stated that terrorists and “Fitna-e-Hindustan” have no link with Balochistan or the Baloch people. He said the army, police, Frontier Corps, and intelligence agencies carried out a total of 75,175 intelligence-based operations, including 14,658 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 58,778 in Balochistan.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that 2,597 terrorists were sent to hell last year, while Pakistan suffered 1,235 martyrdoms in the war against terrorism. He added that 27 suicide attacks took place during the year—16 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 10 in Balochistan, and one at the Islamabad Judicial Complex. He said 3,811 terrorism-related incidents occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising the critical question of why 80 percent of terrorist incidents are happening in the province.
He reiterated that the state is fully committed to counterterrorism and has taken significant measures in this regard. He said Pakistan’s stance against terrorism is clear, and the world has acknowledged and appreciated the country’s efforts to combat terrorism.
According to him, five years ago the situation was such that for every terrorist killed, three security personnel were martyred. This ratio has now changed, and today two terrorists are being killed for every martyrdom.
Speaking on the situation in Afghanistan, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif said the country has turned into a haven for terrorists, with various militant organizations from around the world operating from its soil. He said sanctuaries of groups such as Al-Qaeda, Daesh, the BLA, and the TTP exist in Afghanistan, impacting not only Pakistan but also other neighboring countries.
The DG ISPR said that according to recent intelligence, around 2,500 terrorists have arrived in Afghanistan from Syria, none of whom are Pakistani. He termed this a serious threat to regional security, adding that Afghanistan’s neighboring countries are also being affected by terrorism due to this situation and that the international community should take notice.
