Talks with TTP on hold, operations to continue: DG ISPR

Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar has said that talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are on hold, adding that Pakistan will continue its operations to take them on "until they get rid of the menace".

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the DG ISPR said that the ceasefire expired on December 9 last year, adding that Pakistan started talking to TTP at the request of Afghanistan's present rulers.

"The ceasefire was a confidence-building measure taken ahead of talks with these violent non-state actors on the request of the current Afghan government," he said.

However, he said there were some problems and conditions that were non-negotiable from our side and "so there is no ceasefire".

TTP declares end to ceasefire

"There is no ceasefire, we are fighting, we are taking them on and are conducting operations everyday and we will continue to do so till the time we get rid of this menace."

Pak-Afghan border 'fence of peace'

While talking about the Pak-Afghan border, the DG ISPR said that the work that is underway and will be completed in some time. "The fence on the Pak-Afghan border is needed to regulate security, border-crossing and trade. The purpose of this is not to divide but to protect them.

"The blood of our martyrs was spilled in fencing of the border. It is a fence of peace. It will be completed," the DG ISPR said.

He described the recent uprooting of the fence by Taliban fighters as "one or two localised problems", which he said is being discussed by the governments of both countries.

Iftikhar also shared that 67 new wings of FC Balochistan and FC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were established in the year 2021 to further strengthen border security. He said the process has also been started to establish six more wings.

Propaganda against institutions

Meanwhile, the DG ISPR said that some elements from within the country and outside had launched a smear campaign against state institutions and persons to "damage people's trust".

"We are aware of these efforts and their various linkages. Those who spew half-truths, fake news and false propaganda to target institutions and damage the country, have failed and will fail," he said.

'Talk of any deal baseless speculation'

On rumours of a deal with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's leader Nawaz Sharif, the DG ISPR said "that all of this is baseless speculation".

"If anyone is talking about a deal, please ask them who is doing the deal. What is the evidence of such a deal? There is no such thing."

'India committing false propaganda about infiltration along LoC'

Meanwhile, the DG ISPR said that India has committed false propaganda about infiltration along the Line of Control (LoC).

"They recently staged a fake encounter in Neelum Valley in Kirin sector and killed an innocent Kashmiri and then blamed us. In this particular incident, the Indian media ran pictures of a terrorist named Shabbir. He is not only alive but is at his home in Sharda," the army's spokesperson said.

He added that India wants to externalise the indigenous freedom struggle of the Kashmiris.

"But now voices are rising across the world that India is targeting innocent civilians in the occupied valley," he said.

Radd-ul-Fasaad Operation

While talking about Radd-ul-Fasaad Operation in the year 2021, the major general said that 6,000 intelligence based operations were carried out which helped dismantle terrorist networks. The DG ISPR added that on the basis of 890 threat alerts issued by the intelligence agencies during this period, about 70% possible terror threats were averted.

The DG ISPR also said that no armed person or group can be allowed to take law into their hand.