Army determined to defend honour, territorial integrity of motherland: ISPR

ISLAMABAD: Director General ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar on Thursday said Pakistan Army was fully configured, prepared and determined to defend honour and territorial integrity of motherland.

Addressing a media briefing, he said Pakistan army was fully aware of the hegemonic and expansionist designs of the enemy that was posing threat to regional peace.

Wishing the nation a very happy 73rd Independence Day, he paid tribute to the struggles of our national heroes, Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal for achieving an independent state for us.

Major General Babar Iftikhar also paid tribute to the struggle of Kashmiri people who are fighting for their right to self-determination since last 73 years.

"In occupied Kashmir, the inhumane siege has continued for one year. Genocide is being done and human rights are being violated through India's state terrorism in the occupied region."

"Under a pre-planned, thought-out plan, India by changing the demography of the region is trying to evict the Muslims living there," Maj Gen Iftikhar said.

"There is no atrocity left which the Kashmiris have not witnessed. Youths are being martyred and being buried in unnamed places in the name of counter-terrorism."

He noted that the targeting of Kashmiris with pellet guns by the Indian forces had become the norm, while the region's local leadership had been kept in detention for one year.

He said Pakistan has "left no stone unturned" in raising Kashmiris' plight before the world.

"The Government of Pakistan, at all regional and international forums, has raised awareness on the Kashmir issue and voices against the oppression are reverberating through the world's corridors."

Genocide Watch and international media have unmasked India's actions in the occupied valley, while the United Nations secretary general has stressed for human rights in Kashmir, the DG ISPR said.

"During the past one year, the issue has been raised in the UN three times and this shows that the issue is of cardinal importance in the eyes of the world. And their (Kashmiris') fight for independence will InshAllah be successful."

He said the situation at the Line of Control is linked to the Kashmir issue, saying: "Despite the ceasefire appeal by the UN secretary general during the pandemic, India continued their traditional cowardly actions and targeted innocent people."

He said till now, India has committed 1,927 ceasefire violations and has deliberately targeted peaceful people living along the LoC in Azad Kashmir.

"Sixteen innocent people have been martyred, while 158 have been injured. In these ceasefire violations, heavy weapons were used indiscriminately.

"A UN report highlighted terrorist groups in India; they use these groups against Pakistan and to spread instability in the region. The unsuccessful attack on the Pakistan Stock Exchange or money laundering to facilitate terrorists, all the clues lead to India", he pointed out.

The DG ISPR said elements seeking to sow confusion and hostile intelligence agencies through hybrid warfare "want to shift our attention away from basic issues".

"We will not let enemy forces create a chasm between the army and the nation. We are living in such an age of information where it is an effective tool and hostile intelligence agencies are using it to spread confusion."

He said on Pakistan's social media landscape "the social fabric and the national and military leaderships are being targeted through fake news and an uncertain situation is being created".

"And through this, they are trying to influence the decision-making process," Maj Gen Iftikhar said, adding that such elements rely on misinformation, disinformation and half-truths to mislead the people through various platforms under a "thought-out campaign".

He stressed the need to create awareness among the masses to counter such misinformation.

Speaking about the Afghan peace talks, Maj Gen Iftikhar said Pakistan played its part for peace in Afghanistan.

"We hope that attempts for the reconciliation process are soon successful," he added.

"Peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan [and] peace along our western borders. So if there is anyone who wants peace in Afghanistan, after Afghans, it is Pakistan."

"And the way the peace process is going forward, it is also time for a gradual, time-bound and adequately resourced refugee return programme for dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees within the earliest possible time-frame facilitated duly by all stakeholders."

Regarding war against terrorism, the DG ISPR said: "the war against terrorism is a hard-earned success."

"46,000 square kilometres [of land] has been evacuated from terrorists. More than 18,000 terrorists were killed and 400 tonnes of explosive material was seized," he told the press conference.

Under the operation, more than 194,000 intelligence-based operations were carried out and more than 70,000 weapons and five million ammunition that was in the use of militants were recovered, he added.

He said measures are being taken at the Pak-Afghan and Pak-Iran borders as part of border management, which includes border terminals, scanner biometric system, border posts, forts, and fencing.

He stressed that people on both sides of the frontier will benefit, and terrorism can be stopped through managing the border.

"On the Pak-Afghan border, fencing on more than 1,700km has been completed. In the KP, 730km and in Balochistan, 980km have been fenced."

As part of the fencing work, Maj Gen Iftikhar revealed, more than 70 improvised explosive devices were defused under one project.

"Work is also ongoing on Pak-Iran border fencing and this will be completed by 2021. Further, more than 1,000 border posts and forts are also being built; 400 have been completed and the rest are being set up."

"Due to improvement in fencing and border management, the IED explosions, illegal movement and smuggling have reduced," he said.

"As far as Balochistan is concerned, some enemy forces have been trying to disrupt the situation. Pakistan Army is working day and night to foil these attempts and some important progress has been made, which will be shared with you at the right time."

"From Balochistan, more than 25,000 soldiers and 1,200 officers are serving in the army, while 200 cadets are receiving education from the military."

Highlighting army's efforts to counter Covid-19, he said "as a nation" and the country's efforts to contain the disease have been recognised by international leaders. He said a national emergency was declared to deal with the desert locust attacks situation and due to authorities' steps, locust swarms have been reduced from 61 districts to one district.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020