Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Monday lamented the increasing politicization of major issues, including Vision Azm-e-Istehkam and its aim for a terror-free Pakistan.
“Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive and integrated counter-terrorism campaign, not a military operation per se as it is being presented,” he told a press conference in Rawalpindi in response to a query over criticism of the initiative. He recalled that an apex committee meeting had deliberated on Azm-e-Istehkam in June, with an official statement noting the devising of an anti-terrorism policy with national consensus.
Reiterating a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, he said the country had no more ‘no-go areas’ requiring displacements to oust terrorists, adding as such Azm-e-Istehkham would not impact the lives of the general public. “Azm-e-Istehkam is not a military operation. Why is Azm-e-Istehkam being made controversial? There’s a strong lobby that does not want the objectives of Azm-e-Istehkam to be fulfilled. It is being politicized,” he regretted.
“Why did a mafia, political mafia, and an illegal mafia say that they would not let this [Azm-e-Istehkam] happen?” he questioned, emphasizing that a certain “political mafia” wished to make it controversial. He said recent intelligence-based operations had cleared several areas of terrorists but it was now the responsibility of provincial governments to initiate reconstruction. “The Army is clearing the areas, holding it, and then it is the provincial government’s task to build and transfer,” he said. “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’,” he said, emphasizing the need for national consensus against terrorism.
Warning that if the ‘clear and hold’ cycle continued, it would enable incitement of locals by certain elements, he said this could lead to a false narrative against the armed forces. He also stressed on the need to regulate madrassas, stressing this was part of Azm-a-Istehkam. “In conclusion, Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive campaign against terrorism. If we follow it, it will wipe out terrorism,” he said, stressing the “stakes are very high” and critics wish to see terrorism continue in Pakistan.
Bannu incident
To a question on the Bannu incident that saw one protester killed and 22 others injured, the military spokesman recalled that eight military personnel had embraced martyrdom on July 15 after rebuffing terrorists, who were all killed. “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,” he said, regretting that during the protest some people had broken down an under-construction wall and 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 [standard operating procedure] accordingly. Similarly, people had also raised questions as to why did the Army not fire on May 9,” he noted, referring to some critics who have questioned why the military did not actively engage with rioters on May 9, 2023 to prevent their arson.
Explaining the Army’s SOP in such situation, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry said any “anarchist group” that approaches a military installation is initially given a warning before being “dealt” with. “It is the provincial government’s job to control a mob, not the Army’s,” he said. “However, at the same time, people can definitely hold their peace march,” he said, adding the government and military would welcome all demonstrations against terrorists and terrorism.
Referring to social media posts alleging Army involvement in the shooting immediately after the incident, he claimed this “proves” how “digital terrorists are supporting terrorists on the ground.”
TTP and Pakistan
To a query on a recent leaked call of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud and how Pakistan would respond to it, the military spokesman said authorities were pursuing the matter. Reportedly, the leaked audio contains a call between Mehsud and his subordinates planning attacks in Pakistan by worsening the security situation.
Lt. Gen. Chaudhry said that Mehsud could be heard directing his men to blow up hospitals and schools, but not name him. “They do not even have the courage to take responsibility for their actions,” he said.
The ISPR chief also addressed a query on a recent sit-in of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Islamabad and rumors that it was perpetrated at the behest of the security establishment. He said the government and institutions had sought to resolve the issue in light of the “sensitivity and emotions” of the people over demands related to Palestinians.
Rejecting any notion of the establishment’s involvement in the sit-in, he said this was a core dilemma triggered by the proliferation of fake news. “There’s so much fake news that people keep saying whatever they want to. Since the protesters cleared the area peacefully, it was being claimed that there’s someone’s hand behind it,” he said, adding the government and Army had a clear stance on the genocide underway in Gaza.
“The genocide in Gaza is completely unacceptable. We have sent 1,118 tons of aid to Gaza,” he said, vowing this support would continue.
Earlier, during his briefing, the military spokesman said the Army was conducting four to five operations per hour on a daily basis. He said the security forces had conducted 22,409 intelligence-based operations thus far this year, adding law enforcement agencies, armed forces, and intelligence agencies were conducting over 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,” he added.