Pakistan Army wants nation to 'stand up against militants, digital terrorists'

RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif has signalled a decisive action against militants and "digital terrorists" and appealed to the nation to stand up against the menace.

He said that the "political mafia wants to make Operation Azm-e-Istehkam controversial".

"Why did a political and illegal mafia stand up [against Azm-e-Istehkam] and start saying that they will not let this happen?" asked DG ISPR while speaking during a press conference in Rawalpindi.

The DG ISPR said that Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive and integrated counter-terrorism campaign, not a military operation per se as it is being presented. 

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."

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."

Bannu incident

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."

He said that as soon as this incident took place, there was a hue and cry on social media. "This shows how digital terrorists are supporting terrorists on the ground."

TTP's Mehsud's audio leak

When inquired about what action would Pakistan take after Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Noor Wali Mehsud's audio leak came to the fore, he assured that the authorities were pursuing the matter.

Sources had earlier informed Geo News that the government will not only seek the extradition of terrorists from Afghanistan but will also lodge a strong protest with the Afghan Taliban-led interim administration over the TTP head's presence in the country and his direct involvement in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.

A disturbing phone call featuring Noor came to the surface wherein he could be heard giving instructions to his henchmen for attacks in Pakistan.

The other voices in the audio call were identified as local commanders Ahmad Hussain Mehsud alias Ghat Haji, and Saqib Gandapur.

The conversation revolves around the TTP chief's orders on how to inflame the security situation in the country. In that conversation, he can be heard outlining two main methods for disrupting peace and order in Pakistan.

While talking about the audio call, the Lt Gen 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.

Establishment behind TLP sit-in?

Intimating the journalists about the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's (TLP) recent sit-in, he said that the government and institutions were trying to resolve the issue keeping in mind the "sensitivity and emotions" of the people as it was related to the Palestinian issue.

He ruled out the establishment's role in the sit-in and said that tomorrow if Jamaat-e-Islami were to stage a sit-in in Islamabad, people would still claim that the army was behind it.

"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 added.

The military's spokesperson added that the army and government have a very clear stance on the Palestinian issue, stressing that a genocide was underway in Gaza.

"The genocide in Gaza is completely unacceptable. We have sent 1,118 tonnes of aid to Gaza," he said, vowing continuous support for the oppressed Palestinians.

At least 39,006 Palestinians have been killed and 89,818 have been injured in the Israeli military offensive on Gaza since October 7, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Digital terrorists are elusive

“It’s hard to pinpoint the exact location of a digital terrorist,” said.

While stressing effective steps to stop the spread of fabricated and false information on social media platforms, the DG ISPR said, “The rampant influx of “fake news” targeting the armed forces and their leadership has been ongoing unchecked for a long time, with no one facing any serious consequences so far.”

To eliminate this menace, he said that the law would have to stop the digital terrorists by penalising them. “Instead of the law going after them, they were given more space.”

Some people [who were involved in spreading fake news] have been hailed as heroes in the name of freedom of expression, he added.

The DG ISPR said if they did not stand up against these elements they would gain more ground, benefitting the enemies of Pakistan.

He pointed out that “a foreign group was stationed in Afghanistan, whereas, India was also waiting for the country’s institutions and armed forces to weaken so that it could perpetrate a strike.

More to follow...