Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry is currently addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, highlighting that a record number of terrorists were killed in the outgoing year.
The press conference takes place amid growing security concerns, with a sharp rise in the number of attacks on security forces and other law enforcement agencies, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This is the ISPR spokesperson’s fifth press conference this year.
At the press conference, General Chaudhry said security forces carried out a total of 59,775 operations this year and noted that Pakistan has made many sacrifices in its fight against terrorism.
“During these successful operations, 925 terrorists, including khawarij“They were sent to hell while numerous were arrested,” he said, noting that the number of terrorists killed was the highest in the last five years.
General Chaudhry said he would speak on “important issues of 2024, especially issues related to national security, the defense of the country in view of the changing regional situation, internal security and counter-terrorism efforts this year.”
He added that he would also talk about the training exercises of the armed forces and the measures taken for the welfare of the people.
The ISPR official claimed that Pakistan Army, law enforcement and intelligence agencies and police were carrying out “more than 179 operations” daily.
General Chaudhry noted that during the security operations, the forces also successfully eliminated 73 “high-value targets, the most wanted terrorists.”
These, he said, include Fitna al Khawarij Malakand Division leader Mian Syed urf Qureshi, Mohsin Qadir of Fitna al Khwarijof Malakand Division, Attaullah urf Mehran, who was involved in an attack on a diplomatic convoy in Swat, Fadaur Rehman urf Lal of Zhob Division, Ali Rehman and Abu Yahya.
He further said that “27 Afghan terrorists were also sent to hell.”
The DG ISPR stated that during the anti-terror operations, “383 brave officers and soldiers embraced martyrdom”, paying tribute to them for sacrificing their lives for the peace of the country.
“We have no doubt that we will continue this war against terrorism until the death of the last khawarij”, he promised.
According to the Ministry of Interior, in the first 10 months of this year, 948 of 1,566 reported terrorist incidents occurred in KP, resulting in 583 deaths (out of a total of 924 martyrdoms).
On the counter-terrorism front, 341 terrorists were killed in 2,801 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) during the same period, according to the Home Ministry report.
In a recent major attack, 16 soldiers were martyred last week when terrorists attacked a checkpoint in Makeen in KP’s South Waziristan district, while eight terrorists were also killed when the armed forces responded.
In a subsequent intelligence operation (IBO) in the district, 13 terrorists were killed. The next day, 13 more terrorists were killed during three separate security operations in Bannu, North Waziristan and South Waziristan districts of the province.
Counter-terrorism efforts in Balochistan
Talking about the measures taken against terrorism in Balochistan, DG ISPR detailed that some high value targets were eliminated in the region.
He said that “the most wanted leaders of Baloch terrorists, Sana urf Baro, Bashir urf Pir Jan, Niaz urf Gumman, Zareef Shah Jehan, Hazrat Ali urf Asad, Lak Jan Chakirabadi urf Sawara were also sent to hell.”
Calling it a great success, he highlighted that two future suicide bombers, Insafullah urf Talha and Roohullah, originally from Afghanistan, were detained by security forces and “their evil intentions were thwarted.”
General Chaudhry said that 10 suicide bomb vests, more than 250 kg of explosives and weapons were recovered from the two.
Referring to the statements of Adeela Khudabaksh and Mahil Abdul Hamid, alleged women terrorists arrested in Balochistan, the DG ISPR said that both of them “revealed how the terrorists brainwashed innocent people and were using the youth to rebel against the State”.
“Due to the excellent action plan of the state institution, 14 wanted terrorists laid down their arms and joined the national current, including Najeebullah urf Ustad urf Darwesh, Rasheed urf Tamash and Fitna al Khawarij leader Naheed.”
Today’s press conference also comes amid recent developments in cases involving the military’s self-responsibility and actions against suspects in last year’s May 9 riots.
Last week, the army also announced prison sentences of between two and 10 years for 85 civilians for the violent protests that occurred across the country on May 9 last year and which it claims were coordinated by the PTI.
Earlier this month, former intelligence chief Retired Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, whose arrest by the military was announced in August, was charged with “engaging in political activities.”
In its last press conference on September 5, the DG ISPR had noted that the proceedings before the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) against General Hameed were initiated after a “detailed investigation based on concrete evidence”.
On August 5, General Chaudhry had said that not enough was being done against “digital terrorism” under the law, allowing fake news and propaganda to spread in the country.
More to follow