RAWALPINDI – Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry is addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan Army spokesperson started the presser with ongoing tensions with Afghanistan and rise in terror attacks in Pakistan. He paid tribute to soldiers and workers and law enforcement agencies who were martyred in line of duty.
‘Pakistan will ‘go to any extent’ to crush menace of terrorism’
ISPR spokesman said armed forces will go to any extent to crush terrorism as we have reservations over the presence of safe terror havens in Afghanistan.
He stated that the attack on a convoy in Bisham tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Shangla on March 26, which killed five Chinese engineers, was planned in Afghanistan.
“In the war on terrorism, our soldiers, workers, and law enforcement agencies have made significant sacrifices,” he noted.
Pakistan made significant efforts towards regional peace, particularly in Afghanistan. Its role has been crucial in fostering peace in the area, ISPR chief said.
He further mentioned that South Asian nation hosted Afghan refugees for an extended period, providing them with more assistance than any other country, as acknowledged globally. Despite Pakistan’s efforts and continual engagement with the Afghan interim government, the TTP terrorists persist in conducting acts of terrorism within Pakistan, Major Gen Ahmed said.
Gen Sharif stated that despite Pakistan’s efforts and formal notifications to the Afghan interim government, “TTP terrorists are continuing to carry out acts of terrorism in Pakistan.”
He emphasized that Pakistan has provided “concrete evidence, but so far, there has been no positive progress.”
The Pak Army spokesperson mentioned that recent terrorism incidents have links to terror hideouts in Afghanistan.
Gen Sharif pointed out that Pakistan has extended support to Afghanistan and reminded that the interim government in Kabul had pledged not to allow Afghan soil to be used for any terror acts.
“However, there is clear evidence that TTP terrorists are still using Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan,” he said. “The Foreign Office has lodged 12 protests in this regard, and the army chief has made it clear that Pakistan has concerns about the hideouts of banned groups in Afghanistan.”
“Pakistan will do everything possible to eliminate terror networks and protect its citizens,” Gen Sharif stated.
Repatriation of Afghan Nationals
The Director General of ISPR discussed the ongoing initiative to repatriate illegal Afghan nationals back to Afghanistan.
He explained that the government of Pakistan made the decision to deport foreign citizens illegally residing in the country for the greater good of Pakistan.
“There was an added strain on the country’s economy, and the law and order situation was also being affected. In no country are illegal immigrants allowed to freely move around.”
He reported that so far, 563,639 illegal Afghan citizens have been sent back to their country, but many hundreds of thousands remain in Pakistan.
13,135 IBOs conducted in 2024
The DG ISPR reported that in 2024, security forces have carried out a total of 13,135 small and major intelligence-based operations (IBOs) against terrorists and their facilitators. In these operations, “249 terrorists were eliminated while 396 were detained.”
“The Pak Army, police, intelligence agencies, and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are conducting over 100 operations daily to combat terrorism.”
During these operations this year, two officers and 60 soldiers from the Pakistani forces have lost their lives.
More to follow…
