DG ISPR attributes the rise in terror on K-P’s failures.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), criticized the politicization of counterterrorism operations and the repatriation of Afghan refugees on Friday, claiming that it had allowed anti-state elements to reorganize in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and fueled a surge in attacks in the province.

Pakistan’s National Action Plan (NAP), which was first developed following the 2014 APS attack and updated in 2021, has not been fully executed beyond kinetic operations, according to Lt-Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who was speaking at a news briefing at Corps Headquarters in Peshawar.

He added that there are around 4,355 religious seminaries in K-P, of which roughly 55% are just registered, and that “no solid efforts were made to strengthen the legal system, madrasa reforms, and equipping the CTD, especially in K-P.”

“Despite progress in those areas, the then-government removed certain provisions from the plan — and introduced a revised version of the plan in 2021,” he remembered. The plan’s enforcement was reaffirmed by all parties, but “the implementation remains absent.”

He blamed internal shortcomings for the deteriorating security situation in K-P without naming any specific parties. According to him, “the provincial government has fallen into the terror-crime nexus,” which includes illicit operations like the trafficking of drugs and non-custom-paid automobiles that “allowed lawlessness to flourish and terrorism to breed.”

“When the suggestion was made to seal the Pak-Afghan border, there were people in power who opposed it — only to keep their criminal activities going,” he stated. “Terrorism exists today because we are not following the National Action Plan.”

According to DG ISPR, the origins of terrorism extend beyond Pakistan’s borders and may be found in the country’s governance shortcomings. “Why do K-P and Balochistan account for 70% of all terrorist activity while the other two provinces do not? “Good governance is the solution,” he stated.

He charged that by pursuing talks with extremists, the K-P government was politicizing counterterrorism and eroding the state’s resolve. “Calling for talks with non-state actors is a failure of governance,” he said.

Lt-Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry emphasized that discussion with anti-state groups or Fitnaul Khwarij, who murder civilians and assault security officers, cannot take place. He also issued a warning that the current approach of dealing with terrorism through dialogue “will not be tolerated further.”

He called on Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa residents to assist security forces in dismantling the link between politics, crime, and terrorism by preventing the smuggling and illegal trafficking that are the primary causes of terrorism.

According to operational figures provided by the DG ISPR, counter-terror operations were stepped up as a result of an increase in terrorism events in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa following 2021. He stated that 769 terrorists were killed in KP as a result of 14,535 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out in the previous 12 months.

He claimed that throughout that time, 577 individuals were martyred, including 165 civilians and 271 security personnel. According to the Army spokesman, around three terrorists are killed every day in KP by the 40 IBOs that are carried out there on average. He said that since September 15 of this year, 10,115 IBOs have killed 516 people, including 311 troops and 73 police officers, and destroyed 917 terrorists.

He said that “more terrorists were killed this year than in the last ten years,” and he questioned why K-P courts were not punishing terrorists.

According to the DG ISPR, special precautions are made to prevent collateral harm and maintain the accuracy of operations. “We take pleasure in our martyrs. In anti-terrorism operations that are rarely witnessed in the world, Pakistani army officers lead from the front for the safety of our people,” he remarked.

He cautioned “Fitna al Khwarij” organizers to turn them up to the government or brace for forceful military action.

He stated that facilitators “have no option but to cooperate with the security forces to eliminate these terrorists or face forceful action.”

He reaffirmed that it is unacceptable to aid Fitnaul Khwarij and promised that the fight against terrorism will go on in spite of political diversion and disinformation in KP.

“Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the people of Pakistan have borne the brunt of terrorism with bravery and steadfastness and their sacrifices will not go to waste,” he stated. “The war against terrorism is a battle for our survival and will be fought collectively.”

According to the DG ISPR, strikes inside Pakistan were being carried out by entities inside Afghanistan, such as non-state actors and proxies supported by India.

Although he acknowledged that border security is a shared obligation between nations, he accused those operating on the other side of the western border of aiding Fitnaul Khawarij, smuggling, and the illegal drug trade, all of which have a detrimental impact on Pakistan.

Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry issued a warning, saying that propagandists who encourage illegal trade and smuggling while criticizing anti-terror operations in K-P are essentially endorsing the entry of undesirable people engaged in subversive activities in the region.

He pledged to keep up operations against illegal drug trafficking and the crime-terror nexus until Fitnaul Khwarij is vanquished at all costs.

“Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for three decades and facilitated transit trade and medical assistance to Afghans,” he said, referring to Afghanistan as a neighbor and brotherly nation.

He added the interim Afghan government has an obligation to prevent the use of Afghan territory against Pakistan, citing the Doha deal. Citing the recent trips to Afghanistan by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Pakistan has expressed concerns about terrorism to Afghan authorities at various levels.

Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry issued a warning, saying that Pakistan will defend its citizens’ lives and property and that no one will be able to contest the state’s authority.

Additionally, he reaffirmed that after the US withdrew from Afghanistan, an estimated $7.2 billion worth of weapons and ammunition remained, which fueled terrorism in the area. He also cautioned that terrorists anywhere in the globe may exploit these weapons for financial gain.

He reaffirmed that the military should not get involved in politics, calling May 9 a “black day” in which attacks occurred on government and security facilities and stating that those guilty are facing legal action.