Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), criticized the “political mafia” on Monday for attempting to make Operation Azm-e-Istehkam controversial.
“Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive and integrated counter-terrorism campaign, not merely a military operation as it is being portrayed,” said DG ISPR during a press conference in Rawalpindi.
He questioned, “Why did a political and illegal mafia rise up against Azm-e-Istehkam and start claiming they would prevent it from happening?”
Giving a report on counterterrorism operations this year, he mentioned that 22,409 operations based on information had been carried out against terrorists and those who assist them. He said that the military and law enforcement authorities carried out more than 112 operations every day to fight terrorism.
DG Sharif stated that the operation was not intended to force people to relocate, but rather to “reinvigorate the already in-place National Action Plan.” He clarified that a false narrative had been manufactured to suggest otherwise.
He added that the ongoing kinetic efforts would be “augmented” by law enforcement agencies empowered through effective legislation, as outlined in the original announcement of the operation.
Referring to the original announcement, DG ISPR questioned where it indicated any previous military operations.
“Our problem is that we turn every significant issue into a joke because of our politics,” he reiterated.
He concluded by saying that if Operation Azm-e-Istehkam was properly implemented, it would not only eliminate terrorism but also lead to societal and national uplift.
