Director General of the Army’s Integrated Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif on Monday said a “big illegal political mafia” in the country was trying to sabotage the state’s Operation Azm-i-Istekam to fulfil their vested interests.
Speaking at a press conference in Rawalpindi, he said the purpose of the meeting was “to clarify the army’s position on some important issues”, adding that there had been an “increase in orchestrated propaganda, false and erroneous news and fabricated news” against the army recently.
“That’s why it’s important to talk about these issues.”
Providing an update on counter-terrorism operations so far this year, he said 22,409 intelligence-based operations have been carried out against terrorists and their supporters.
He said more than 122 counter-terrorism operations are being carried out daily by the military and law enforcement agencies.
Responding to a question about possible displacement of key areas as a result of the government’s new operational plan, “Azmi Istekam” (Resolve for Stability), Ahmed said it was a “comprehensive counterterrorism operation” based on national consensus and “not a military operation per se as has been presented.”
He added: “First of all, I would like to say that our problem is that even very important issues are being sacrificed to politics, and Azmi Istekam is an example of this.”
Ahmed said a narrative had been created to give the impression that the operation was launched to evacuate people, and clarified that it was only to “reinvigorate the National Action Plan that is already in place.”
He said that as per the initial announcement of the operation, physical efforts already underway would be “reinforced” by law enforcement agencies empowered by effective legislation.
Regarding the initial announcement, the ISPR DG questioned what previous military operations it was referring to.
“Our problem is that our politics make every important issue a joke,” he reiterated.
The ISPR Directorate said “very powerful lobby groups” do not want the objectives of the National Action Plan to be achieved “because the risk of (sabotage) operations is very high and they are not based on any ideology but involve huge amounts of money.”
“A large illegal political mafia rose up to sabotage the operation and the first move of the mafia was to make the operation controversial through false and bogus arguments.”
Pointing out the 14 points of the National Action Plan, he said movement operations were “progressing excellently” with “four to five operations going on every hour.”
He said problems existed in other aspects of the plan as well. Ahmed said it was decided to set up anti-terrorism bureaus at the provincial level in 2014 and 2021 to take charge of anti-terrorism operations.
The ISPR Directorate said that although the National Action Plan also mentions regularisation and registration of religious schools, only a little over 16,000 schools have been regularised and registered, while the status of 50 per cent is unknown.
“Does the military have to do this?” he asked.
The Director-General for International Social Security said all political parties had also decided to put an end to the “illegal spectrum”, which “is felt and seen in every corner of everyday life and which conceals a large illegal economy in which criminal gangs and terrorism function,” he explained.
He said the requirement for illegal spectrum was a “soft state” and the solution was a national action plan, adding that eliminating illegal spectrum would not only curb terrorism but also benefit society as a whole.
“There are vested interests who don’t want this to happen, and they’re making a lot of money.”
He said Operation Azmi Istekam if properly implemented would not only eradicate terrorism but also lead to the upliftment of society and the nation.
Asked about the violence and alleged firing by security forces during a weekend peace rally in Bannu, Ahmed referred to a terrorist attack that took place at the Bannu garrison last week in which eight soldiers were martyred.
He said locals demanded a peaceful march the next day and it was agreed that anti-national slogans would not be chanted. “But once the peaceful march began, certain negativity was added to it,” he added.
He said protesters passed the scene of the terror attack “shouting slogans against the army and the state and hurling stones”, adding that several armed men had already joined the demonstration and “opened fire, causing injuries”.
Ahmed said makeshift walls had also been destroyed and supply depots looted.
“That’s how the incident happened. The army’s response was as per SOP (standard operating procedure) and orders. When the May 9 incident happened, certain political groups, the disorderly crowd, started propaganda that why the army did not stop them.”
Ahmed said the military system was “very clear”, adding that in any military situation “there were very clear (instructions) and officers acted accordingly”.
He said that if “disorderly crowds” attacked military installations, a “clear warning” would first be given, followed by airstrikes and “if they still don’t stop, due process will be taken.”
Ahmed said security forces carried out aerial firing in accordance with the above regulations. “The question is why this happened. This is because the legal and judicial system’s lenient attitude towards the perpetrators and accomplices of the May 9 attacks and its failure to bring them to justice will further increase discord, mob mentality and fascism in the country.”
The ISPR chief said counter-insurgency and law and order were the responsibility of the state government and not the army.
“Miscreants join the crowds, open fire and kill people, so the responsibility lies with the state government and administration. So I don’t understand how a political party is protesting against its own state government.”
Ahmed said protests must take place and that people have the right to express their anger over the terrorist attacks.
Asked about allegedly leaked audio recordings of Noor Wali Mehsud, leader of the banned Pakistani Taliban movement, the ISPR chief questioned what kind of Islamic teachings the militant, who has spoken of blowing up schools, universities, hospitals and homes, was preaching.
“This will be carried out to its logical end,” he said, adding that such a thing “only strengthens our resolve that Azm-i-Istekam is very much needed.”
More to come later.
