Army to be part of proposed grand dialogue: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Army on Monday said it will be part of the grand dialogue proposed by Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani if it was organised in the country.

The army said civil and military are not separate and difference of opinion should not be construed as problems in the civil-military relations.  “We are united as Pakistanis and civil and military are not two separate sides,” Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor said while addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi.

“I belong to military and you are civilian. Whether there is anything wrong in our relations,” he questioned. "We are united as Pakistanis and are on the same page,” he said, adding that the enemy wanted to divide the nation.

The DG ISPR said the Pakistan Army had received support from the civilian government in creation of new wings of the FC and in many other security matters as well through financing.

To a question about giving NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) to the PPP and PML-N, he said it was a political matter and the army does not approve any NRO. When he was asked whether the NRO prepared for the PPP and PML-N leaderships had been sent to the Pakistan Army, he said the army had nothing to do with politics.

To a question about the statement of former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the army spokesman said it was the prerogative of the federal government to make the News Leaks report public. “The prime minister has ordered an inquiry into News Leaks and it is also the prerogative of the government to make the report public,” he said.

About the statement of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf that Pakistan always made progress when there is the military rule, Asif Ghafoor said Musharraf gives statements as head of a political party. “General Musharraf spent four decades in the army and he also gives statements due to his experience. But whenever, he gives political statement, it is given as the head of a political party,” he said, adding that the incumbentarmy chief implements the army’s policy. “Army does not support or own any political statement,” he said.

When asked to comment on the US policy for South Asia to be announced by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, the DG ISPR said Pakistan is a sovereign state and it would take decisions according to its own national interest. “Let the policy come and the Foreign Office will comment on it,” he said.

He said that during the recent visits and meetings of US officials with the army chief, it was made clear to them that presently there was no organised network of terrorists in Pakistan and actions had been taken against all terrorist organisations without any discrimination. “It has been made it clear to them actions have been taken against all groups of terrorists, including the Haqqani Network,” he said, adding that Pakistan is the only country which strongly and effectively fought against terrorism in the country. However, he said that declaring a Kashmiri leader as a terrorist was regrettable, adding that India has been trying to give the colour of terrorism to indigenous struggle of Kashmiri people.

Asif Ghafoor said Pakistan had contributed a lot to peace and security of the region but there is also global politics while India was also using its influence against Pakistan. He rejected the Indian allegation that Pakistan had hoisted the national flag, the highest in South Asia, on the Wagah border on eve of the Independence Day, for intelligence gathering. “Our intelligence agencies are capable enough to carry out their work without such tactics,” he said.

Emphasising the significance of reforms in Fata, he said the Pakistan Army had already conveyed its recommendations on reforms with security point of view to the government. “The people residing in Fata also have rights like other Pakistanis,” he said. He told media persons that 95 percent of the IDPs have returned to their homes in tribal areas and the remaining perhaps have settled where they had moved. “This is also a big indicator of our success with regard to restoration of peace in Fata,” he said.

Regarding the development activities in Fata, he said 550 development projects have been completed there, including 266 water supply projects, 147 schools, 27 mosques and 67 markets.

The DG ISPR revealed that the attack on Taleemul Quran Mosque in Rawalpindi on 10th of Muharram, 2013 was not carried out by Shias as an impression was being given to create a sectarian divide. He said the attack was carried out by eight terrorists clad in black dressing who belonged to the same sect of the mosque to create sectarian fault-lines. He said the terrorist group hails from the TTP having links with RAW and NDS of Afghanistan and also with arrested Indian spy Kulbhushan Jhadav.

On the occasion, recording of two terrorists from Bajaur nabbed in connection with the attack on mosque was also played. “We arrived at the site of the mosque in rickshaw before arrival of Muharram procession as per directives of our handler,” they said.

Talking about the terror attack near the Arfa Karim Tower in Lahore, he said the terrorists wanted to target Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif but on failure they attacked police personnel.

The DG ISPR also announced the successful completion of Khyber-4 operation during which 253 kilometres of area located in the most difficult terrain of Fata was cleared of terrorists. “Today, we have completed the Khyber-4 operation which was started on July 15, clearing all ground targets in two pockets of Shawal Valley and Rajgal area while sanitisation of the area is in progress,” Asif Ghafoor said.

The army spokesman pointed out that it was the most difficult operation in the war against terror which was carried in an effective way minimising the loss of lives of troops as per directives of the army chief. “Our two Jawans were martyred and 21 injured while 52 terrorists were killed during the operation,” General Ghafoor said.

He said the clearance operation was still continuing in the Khyber Valley, adding that 91 check posts had been set up in the Rajgal area. He said the security forces had seized a material being used in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which bears a label of "Made in India". He said hundreds of landmines had been defused during the Operation Khyber-4, for which the Pakistan Army had consulted with the Afghan security forces and also sought their cooperation.

Asif Ghafoor said 24,000 operations had so far been conducted across the country. Of them, he said, 3,300 were carried out under Operation Raddul Fasad. In Punjab, he said, 1,728 intelligence-based operations had been conducted.

The DG ISPR denied the presence of any terrorist network in the country, saying presently there was no organised network of terrorists across the country. However, he told a questioner that 100 percent normalcy could not be achieved and questioned which country of the world had an ideal situation. “There are proxy wars and terrorist attacks taking place in the world,” he said.

Replying to a question about the fate of ex-TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan, the DG ISPR said he was a high value target because 3,000 to 4,000 suicide bombers were working under him and he also revealed links of Taliban with RAW. “Ehsanullah has a hand in the bloodshed of innocent people of Pakistan and he would not be pardoned,” he said.