Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Wednesday said that due to the effective policies of federal government and sacrifices of security forces the incidents of terrorism had registered significant decline. Talking to media at Pak-Afghan border at Torkham, Khyber Agency, he said incidents of terrorism had been significantly descended in the country after the government's result-oriented policies and persistent and timely actions of security forces, but on other hand in the rest of the world the graph of terrorism had ascended.
He said successful Zarb-e-Azb had resulted in wiping out of terrorists while the remaining had crossed the border. To counter that challenge, he said, efforts were being made to secure and monitor movement at long and porous Pak-Afghan border. For that purpose, the Interior Minister said the government had decided the surveillance of the control and monitor the movement of people on border by establishing six controlled routes by 2020.
Chaudhry Nisar said terrorism was yet to be exterminated and close co-ordination among all the stakeholders were required for uprooting that menace completely. He clarified that no terrorist network was operating in Khyber Agency and the writ of Government that was challenged by the militants few years ago had been completely restored.
The Interior Minister said Pakistan and Afghanistan had long historical, cultural and religious relations as the former had opened their hearts and minds by accommodating over 3.5 million Afghan refugees after the USSR invasion against Kabul in 1979. Chaudhry Nisar said peace of Pakistan and Afghanistan was interlinked as Islamabad wanted durable peace and prosperity in Afghanistan. He said unfortunately whenever incident of terrorism occurred in Afghanistan, Pakistan was blamed without any evidence and investigation, which was totally unjustified.
"We will not come under pressure from any quarter and could not be blackmailed," he said, adding Pakistan was a powerful nation with 180 million people, strong faith on Allah Almighty and one of the most professional army of the world, saying "nobody can dictate terms or defeat us."
He said tribal people had faced the brunt of terrorism with steadfastness and courage and appreciated their extended co-operation and support in establishment of peace in Fata and held their sacrifices in high esteem. "The role of tribal people in defence of the country is of paramount importance as they had valiantly fought against enemy in Kashmir for the safety and security of Pakistan," he remarked.
Nisar said the nation couldn't forget sacrifices of troops and tribal people who lost their lives for defence of the country. To bolster security, Chaudhry Nisar said new wings of FC would be operational by July next year. Nisar appreciated former Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif for taking solid measures for monitoring and security of Pak-Afghan border.
The tribal elders of Khyber Agency and Landi Kotal that met with Interior Minister under leadership of MNA Shah Gee Gul Afridi to Islamabad for solution of their problems. Earlier, the Interior Minister visited Pak-Afghan border where he was briefed by the FC authorities about the security measures taken for monitoring and security of this long porous border.