ISLAMABAD: Pakistan military on Monday declared operation Azm-e-Istehkam as an essential counter-terrorism campaign for national survival and stated that a “massive, illegal political mafia” is trying to sabotage the drive through “organised propaganda”.

Speaking at a press conference here, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military’s spokesperson, stated that a “strong lobby” opposes the success of the National Action Plan (NAP) and clarified that Operation Azm-e-Istehkam is not a military operation and comparing it with past operations such as Zarb-e-Azb and Rah-e-Nijat is inappropriate.

The DG ISPR stated that a narrative is being built that the operation would displace people, adding that the purpose of the operation is only to reinvigorate the already in place NAP.

“A massive illegal, political mafia rose to sabotage the campaign and the first move of that mafia was to make the operation controversial through false and fake narrative,” he said.

He explained that the briefing aimed to clarify the army’s position on key issues amid rising organised propaganda targeting the armed forces with fabricated news.

Lt Gen Chaudhry highlighted the significant progress in counter-terrorism efforts, revealing that over 22,000 operations have been conducted this year, resulting in the martyrdom of 137 officers and soldiers. These operations led to the elimination of 398 terrorists, including 31 high-value targets, he added.

He emphasised that the increasing spread of fake news against the Pakistan Army and the need to address these issues. He added that serious national matters are being politicized, using Operation Azm-e-Istehkam as an example.

He described the operation as a vital counter-terrorism campaign essential for national survival.

About the motives behind opposition to Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, Lt Gen Chaudhry stated that the campaign aims to dismantle the nexus between terrorism and crime, which concerns certain groups. He accused these groups of using substantial funds to spread propaganda on social media to make the operation controversial.

Referring to the June 22 statement by the Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, he highlighted the need for a comprehensive counter-terrorism campaign, with political parties being consulted and relevant legislation enacted. However, he expressed concern over a misleading narrative suggesting the operation will displace people, which he firmly opposed.

“This is a matter of our survival, yet serious issues are being trivialized due to politics,” he lamented. Using smuggling as an example, he explained that a key objective of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam is to dismantle the connection between terrorism and crime. He pointed out that terrorists exploit the country through benami properties, smuggling activities, and non-custom-paid vehicles.

To a question about an alleged audio leak of TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, he questioned what brand of Islam the TTP was preaching that involved blowing up schools, colleges, hospitals, and homes.

“Such narratives will be taken to their logical end… they only strengthened our resolve that Azm-e-Istehkam is necessary for the country’s stability and security,” he added.

To another query about last week’s violence during a peace rally in Bannu and the alleged firing by security forces, he clarified that a day after an attack on the Bannu Cantonment which led to the martyrdom of eight soldiers, locals of the district had demanded carrying out a peace march and the protesters had agreed that there would be no anti-state slogans chanted during the rally.

“But when the peace march commenced, some negative elements also joined in, and just when protesters were marching through the point where the attack had taken place, some of them started chanting slogans against the army and the state while resorting to pelting stones,” he said, adding: “Some armed protesters resorted to gunfire as a result of which there were injuries.”

He also played a clip from the march during the presser, showing armed protesters attacking the wall of the Bannu Cantonment. He added that the temporary wall was also damaged by the protesters and the supply depot was looted.

Condemning the surge of digital terrorism, he equated it to physical terrorism. “Just as terrorists use weapons to impose their will, digital terrorists spread anxiety through mobile phones, computers, lies, fake news, and propaganda,” he stated.

Both extremists and digital terrorists, he emphasized, share the common objective of targeting the military and its leadership. He stressed the urgent need for laws and punishments to combat digital terrorism, warning that if unchecked, these digital terrorists will continue to expand their influence.

Referring to the May 9 violent incidents, Lt Gen Chaudhry condemned the orchestrated attacks on military installations and public properties, describing them as a calculated attempt to undermine the integrity and resolve of the armed forces.

He highlighted that the “masterminds” behind these attacks sought to incite chaos and disrupt national stability, emphasizing the importance of bringing those responsible to justice. He reiterated the military’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that those who threaten national security face appropriate consequences.

When asked about the recent sit-in by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) at Faizabad, he stated that the central issue is Palestine.

He asserted that the government and military’s stance is that the situation in Palestine is genocide and unacceptable. Efforts to resolve the issue were being made sensitively and peacefully, through dialogue, he added.

He criticised the propaganda and the allegations that the military organised the sit-in, highlighting the lack of accountability for fake news in the country and the spread of conspiracy theories.

He also gave an example of Chaman, a Pakistani city bordering Afghanistan, where local residents opposed the requirement of passports for cross-border movement.

The sit-in at the Chaman border had persisted for nearly 10 months due to this issue, but was called off on Sunday after the organisers’ demands were met.

Cross-border movement from Chaman will now be allowed based on ID cards and Afghan Tazkira, with those without a Pakistani ID card traveling on an ID card token. This situation demonstrates how the military and government are working to address local concerns while maintaining security and order.

Lt Gen Chaudhry concluded by presenting slides detailing the objectives of the National Action Plan and the actions taken so far.

He stated that the military is conducting four to five intelligence-based counter-terrorism operations every hour.

He underscored the necessity of regular press conferences to counter false rumors and lies, reaffirming the military’s commitment to national security and stability.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024