Director General Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), Major-General Asif Ghafoor on Thursday said that there are still threats to Pakistan's borders. He was addressing a press conference at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The press conference followed a visit to Kabul by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Sunday last and Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif's meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on matters of mutual concern on Wednesday.
During the briefing, Major-General Ghafoor discussed the security threats at Pakistan's eastern and western borders, saying the important question is "whether the threat is because of a state or non-state actors" and what the country's response to it has been. He said that Afghan forces must secure their borders, while there are no terrorist safe havens in Pakistan. "There are no organized bases of any terrorist organization in the country anymore since the environment is no safer for them."
"More than 50 percent of Afghan territory is out of (Kabul's) control, which is also affecting Pakistan," said the DG ISPR, while explaining that attacks in the country originate from Afghanistan. He said that Afghanistan has been at war for four decades and after 9/11 the war entered Pakistan. "Pakistan is an indispensable reality," he asserted. "When multiple interests collide, it is natural that conflicts arise," he added.
"Our [western] border also meets Iran. It is important to mention that our deployment is not against Iran or Afghanistan, but against non-state actors," he explained. "The ceasefire violations in 2017 are considerably more in number than any other year before this, with 222 civilian casualties along the Line of Control. However, India has also paid a price due to our response [to attacks] and we will continue to do so [respond] if continues to show belligerence," he warned.
"Threats from India are perpetual. We are a peaceful country and we do not want war with them, but we will defend ourselves and have the capability to do so," he asserted. Returning to relations with Iran, the DG ISPR said Pakistan has ongoing co-ordination and contact with Tehran. "The Army Chief will soon visit Iran to improve relations," he said.
With regards to the issue of Rangers' deployment at the accountability court on Monday last, he said Rangers are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Interior. "Three wings of Rangers were deployed under Article 147. Once this happened, there is local co-ordination and this has been in practice since 2014," said Ghafoor.
"A letter was subsequently written to the Rangers, and there was some co-ordination in the night as well, so the Rangers reached the court at 7:00am (Monday)," he explained. "A soldier who is deployed is doing his duty and if he is told not to allow irrelevant people....it is possible that someone who did not have a card was a relevant person. Even if the Army Chief does not have the necessary pass, he is informed by the personnel on duty that he is not allowed." He added that the personnel performing their duty should be appreciated.
"Any type of instability, whether political or economic, cannot be in the country's interest and needs to be resolved," he said. Referring to the ongoing Operation Raddul Fasaad, Major General Ghafoor said it is being conducted successfully and intelligence-based operations will continue in the country.
"There was a huge security risk during Muharram. After many years, Muharram passed peacefully in Pakistan," he said. He said two suicide bombers with their handlers were arrested in Karachi and a car bomb was recovered from Quetta. He also spoke of a Bohra community gathering in Karachi, which saw 21,000 foreigners participating, including 12,000 Indian citizens. "This event was also conducted successfully," he added.
Referring to the World-XI match in Lahore and the cricket match in Miranshah, North Waziristan Agency, he said both were also conducted successfully and in the coming days, there would be a hockey match in Karachi. "There were twenty-five thousands of people watching the match in Miranshah and that would not have been possible if there were security threats," he further said.
During the press conference, Major General Ghafoor said that not a single country has faced the threats that Pakistan faced in 2008 and 2009.
"There is no country like Pakistan, as all other countries which faced such problems either collapsed or had to have foreign armies to take control. This is why you will hear the narrative that the Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) are not in anyone's control," said the DG ISPR while referring to a recent statement of Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who alleged that ISI officials had links with militant groups. "The target of the hostile narrative is the power which stopped them; hence, you will hear the narrative that the Pakistan Army and ISI are not in control," he added. Major-General Ghafoor said that there are four hostile agencies planning to conduct terror activities in Pakistan, and the same has been shared with the Foreign Office.
"We have to take this war to its logical conclusion. If our resolve stays strong then nothing can happen in Pakistan. Even now, we have intelligence about four agencies working against us," he further said. He added that Pakistan has come a long way and the country is moving towards a peaceful Pakistan. "The ISAF could never have succeeded without us," said the army spokesman.
When asked why there had been no press release issued following a special Corps Commanders Conference at GHQ, Major General Ghafoor said, "Silence is also an expression." Responding to a question about Milli Muslim League, the political wing of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, and its participation in the political process, he said, "Every Pakistani has the right to participate in polling process."
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