Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry says Azm-e-Istehkam not military operation, but comprehensive, integrated campaign against terrorism
DNA/Staff Report
RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) has said that the armed forces are already rendering sacrifices in the battle against terrorists and stressed that it is time for the nation to stand up against militants and “digital terrorists”.
The DG ISPR, while speaking during a press conference in Rawalpindi on Monday, said: “Digital terrorism is being done on social media. The army is standing up against terrorists and digital terrorists. The time has come for the entire nation to stand up against them.”
Lieutenant General Chaudhry said that unfortunately, serious issues were also being politicised in Pakistan, presenting Azm-e-Istehkam as an example.
“Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive and integrated counter-terrorism campaign, not a military operation per se as it is being presented,” the DG ISPR said during a press conference in Rawalpindi.
Recalling that an Apex Committee — the country’s top security body — meeting was held on June 22 over Azm-e-Istehkam, he said that the statement following the huddle noted that “we have made an anti-terrorism policy with national consensus”.
The DG ISPR, addressing concerns over the campaign, said that no-go areas do not exist across the country, clarifying that there would be no more displacements due to Azm-e-Istehkam.
As there was much hue and cry over the newly announced campaign, the army’s spokesperson informed journalists that the Prime Minister’s Office released a statement on June 24 to clarify the matter.
“Azm-e-Istehkam is not a military operation. Why is Azm-e-Istehkam being made controversial? There’s a strong lobby which wants the objectives of Azm-e-Istehkam not to be fulfilled. It is being politicised.”
“Why did a mafia, political mafia, and an illegal mafia say that they would not let this [campaign] happen?” he questioned, adding that a certain political mafia wants to make Azm-e-Istehkam controversial.
Providing statistics over the ongoing operations, he said that the army is conducting four to five operations per hour on a daily basis — clarifying that the war against terrorism was already in full form.
The security forces conducted 22,409 intelligence-based operations this year, he said, explaining further that armed forces, police, intelligence agencies, and other law enforcement agencies are conducting more than 112 operations daily.
“During these operations, 31 high-value targets have been killed. This year 137 officers and soldiers laid their lives in the operations,” the army’s spokesperson told journalists.
Lt Gen Chaudhry explained that the army had cleared several areas of terrorists but if the governments do not ensure reconstruction of those areas, then the army will have to deploy its forces over there to “hold the area”.
“The army is clearing the areas, holding it, and then it is the provincial government’s task to build and transfer. If you don’t build and transfer to the people, then terrorists will emerge again and you will remain in a vicious cycle of ‘clear and hold’.”
The DG ISPR explained that if such a cycle continues, then it will be easier for certain elements to incite the locals of the area against the army and a false narrative would also be made against the forces.
“In conclusion, Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive campaign against terrorism. If we follow it, it will not just wipe out terrorism, but also the country. The stakes are very high.”
Moving on in the press conference, he said that on July 15, eight military personnel embraced martyrdom and sent “all terrorists to hell”. He informed journalists that Sepoy Saqib threw himself onto the grenade to save everyone else.
“The very next day, people in Bannu staged a march, saying that they wanted peace. Some armed personnel were also part of the peace march,” the DG ISPR said.
Providing details about the march, in which a person died while several others were injured, he said that people participating in the demonstration had broken down an under-construction wall while they had also looted a supply depot.
“Some armed people opened fire, which led to the loss of life. In Bannu, the army personnel followed their response SOP accordingly. Similarly, people had also raised questions as to why did the army not fire on May 9.”
Explaining the SOP of the army, he said that if an “anarchist group” approaches a military installation, it is first given a warning, and then it is dealt with.
“It is the provincial government’s job to control a mob, not the army’s. However, at the same time, people can definitely hold their peace march,” the spokesperson said.
While he showed footage of the Bannu incident and said that armed personnel could be seen, he stressed: “Hold demonstrations against terrorists.”
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