Rawalpindi (Web Desk): Director General (DG) Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Monday said that Azm-e-Istehkam is not military operation, but comprehensive and integrated campaign against terrorism.
Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, the DG ISPR said that elements having vested interests intend to make Azam-e-Istehkam controversial to harm state efforts to curb illegal spectrum and terror-crime nexus.
Quoting a declaration issued by the Prime Minister Office (PMO), Lt Gen Chaudhry said Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive and multi-domain counter-terrorism campaign to root out scourge of terrorism from the country.
He said it is meant to reinvigorate and reenergize the ongoing implementation of revised National Action Plan, which was initiated after national consensus across political spectrum.
The DG ISPR added that Azm-e-Istehkam is aimed at energizing already in place intelligence-based kinetic operations to root out the facilitation due to terror-crime nexus. “
It will help establish a secure environment, necessary for economic development and prosperity of the country,” he noted.
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that kinetic operations are one of the fourteen points of the revised National Action Plan, which are continuing in an effective manner.
Providing updates on counter-terrorism operations so far in the year, the DG ISPR said that 22,409 intelligence-based operations were carried out this year in which 398 terrorists were killed, while 137 officers and personnel of the law enforcement agencies embraced martyrdom. He said 112 intelligence-based operations are conducted on daily basis, which means that the armed forces are fulfilling their responsibilities on kinetic front.
Referring to the second point of the revised National Action Plan, the Director General said the total strength of Counter-Terrorism Departments of the terrorism-hit provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan need to be strengthened.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said that the revised National Action Plan also calls for regulating seminaries in the country.
Regarding the reforms in the criminal justice system, Lt Gen Chaudhry Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said there are 13 anti-terrorist Courts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, whereas their number in Balochistan is nine, which need to be enhanced for speedy conclusion of terrorism related cases.
Turning to 13th point of the revised National Action Plan, the DG ISPR emphasized the need to curb increasing trend of illegal spectrum.
He said non-customs paid vehicles and smuggling have become a big racket of illegal spectrum, which also facilitate terrorists to operate.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said that Afghanistan has shared border with six countries, including Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China and Iran.
He said Afghan nationals include Turkmens, Tajiks and Uzbeks and Persian speaking people and they all go to neighbouring countries on valid travel documents like passports and visa. But there starts a hue and cry if Pakistan imposes a visa system on its border with Afghanistan.
“They want a soft border to support the illegal spectrum worth billions of rupees,” the DG ISPR said.
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the security agencies are vigorously acting against illegal spectrum and terror-crime nexus.
“Army is fulfilling its responsibility of clearing and holding an area but it is also duty of provincial governments to build and transfer these areas to the people,” the DG ISPR said.
He said terrorists might return if other elements of the state fail on building and transferring the areas cleared by the law enforcement agencies.
“It will be easy to spread hatred among masses and incite them against the armed forces if the military keeps on doing the practice of clearing and holding an area without the contribution of provinces with regard to build and transfer,” the DG ISPR said.
Responding to question, the military’s spokesperson said that Pakistan's stand on Palestine is very clear and genocide in Gaza, committed by Israel, is totally unacceptable.
He said Pakistan has dispatched relief assistance worth 118 tons to the war-affected people of Gaza.
Replying to another question, the DG ISPR said that digital terrorists are hell-bent to weaken the people's trust in the armed forces and there should be stringent laws to check this onslaught on social media.
