DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that security forces have conducted 40,348 operations against terrorism so far this year, during which 2,084 confirmed terrorists were killed.
Speaking during a media briefing in Rawalpindi, he said the highest number of operations were carried out in Balochistan, while 1,971 operations were conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, security forces carried out an average of 194 operations daily, resulting in the deaths of nearly 10 terrorists each day.
The DG ISPR said that 819 personnel were martyred during counterterrorism operations this year, while a total of 28 suicide attacks took place during the period.
He added that Afghan nationals were involved in the terrorist incidents that occurred in Tank and Karachi. He also clarified that Afghan Taliban is using terrorism as source of earning with its nexus with India and Indian sponsored terrorists.
He also reiterated that some political parties are raising slogans of provincial rights, but they also need to understand their own responsibilities for the state.
DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said there is no possibility of negotiations with terrorists, adding that they must either surrender their weapons in accordance with the Constitution and law or security forces will continue operations against them to eliminate them.
He said a “hard state” is one where all matters are handled in accordance with the Constitution and the law.
The DG ISPR said deliberate attempts are made to create the impression that the situation in Balochistan is deteriorating, whereas the facts are different. He also said that the feuds of Balochistan are reluctant to provide opportunities to low stratum of society. He said there is now a need to address the fundamental issues of Balochistan. He added that certain influential groups and tribal leaders do not want children from poorer backgrounds to progress and prosper.
He said that the authorities would engage not with specific elements, but with the people of Balochistan, and focus on resolving their issues.
He stressed that politics, identity, and all institutions can only exist if the state exists. He emphasized that rights come with responsibilities, adding that loyalty to the state is a fundamental duty of every citizen and that every individual is responsible for abiding by the Constitution and the law.
