Summary: DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has alleged that the former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was involved in facilitating terrorism, and this led to obstacles in counter-terrorism operations in the province. According to him, security forces conduct around 200 intelligence-based operations across the country daily, while there are terrorist leadership and training centres in Afghanistan.
Rawalpindi: DG ISPR Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that Pakistan has prepared a clear strategy to eliminate terrorism, which includes action against terrorists as well as all their facilitators inside the country.
In an interview given to the British news agency Reuters on October 30, he termed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government as one of the facilitators of terrorism and said that a significant factor hindering counter-terrorism efforts in the province is no longer there.
According to Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, security forces conduct around 200 Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs) across the country every day. The Pakistan Army, police and other law enforcement agencies jointly participate in these operations.
He clarified that Pakistan’s strategy is not limited to external factors only but also includes measures against internal causes of terrorism and facilitation networks.
Discussing the situation in Afghanistan, the DG ISPR claimed that there are leadership of terrorist organisations, training centres and bases used for attacks in Pakistan. However, he also stressed that some issues related to terrorism have to be resolved within Pakistan as well.
He said that Pakistan has gained long experience in the field of counter-terrorism, and the country’s security forces are constantly using their capabilities to meet this challenge.
Referring to the problems of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the citizens of the province have suffered the most due to terrorism.
He praised the traditions and bravery of the Pashtun nation and said that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa want peace and stability, and they have the right to it.
On a question regarding the change of government in the province, the DG ISPR said that it is a political matter and only politicians can answer it better. However, according to him, the change of government was carried out in accordance with the constitutional and legal provisions to the best of his knowledge.
In the interview with the DG ISPR, the ongoing counter-terrorism operations, the alleged militant networks in Afghanistan and the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were presented as important aspects of Pakistan’s security strategy.
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