Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry says illegal political mafia trying to sabotage operation.  Chaos will spread further if perpetrators of May 9 not brought to justice: DG ISPR.  Says target of digital terrorists is Pakistan Army.  Azm-e-Istehkam to target anti-state mafias, campaign designed with national consensus.  Azm-i-Istehkam not a military operation but a counterterrorism campaign.  Pak Army response in Bannu violence incident was as per SOP.  Controlling riots, law and order provincial government’s duty.

ISLAMABAD   -  Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Monday clarified that Azm-e-Istehkam campaign has been designed with national consensus to eliminate menace of terrorism from the country.

Addressing a press conference at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, he said that elements having vested interests intend to make Azm-e-Istehkam controversial. Quoting a declaration issued by the Prime Minister Office, DG ISPR said Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive and multi-domain counter-terrorism campaign to root out scourge of terrorism from the country.

Lieutenant-General Chaudhry brushed aside misconceptions over Azm-e-Istehkam Operation and said that it was not just a military operation as portrayed by some disgruntled elements, rather a comprehensive drive to flush out anti-state individuals and mafias, hell bent upon to disrupt peaceful environment in the country. He also specifically highlighted major aspects of the operation in the wake of an organised campaign against state institutions, based on fake and baseless news.

Lieutenant General Sharif gave the breakup of counter-terrorism drive during the current year as some 22,409 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were conducted that resulted in elimination of 398 terrorists. On average 112 IBOs were done on daily basis by the army, police and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) that helped in elimination of 31 high value targets (most wanted terrorists), he added,

During these counterterrorism activities, 137 officers and soldiers embraced martyrdom in 2024 whereas the armed forces paid tribute to the families of these martyrs.

“Amid growing propaganda and lies, it is imperative to hold regular media briefings to debunk false news,” he added. He pointed out that a massive, illegal political mafia was trying to sabotage the state’s Azm-e-Istehkam (Resolve for Stability) operation.

Replying to a query regarding the displacement, he said crucial issues were being targeted just for political gains, adding that Azm-e-Istehkam was one such example. Last month, the federal government approved the operation to counter due to terrorist attacks across the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

“A narrative is being built that the operation would displace people but the purpose of the operation was only to reinvigorate the already in-place National Action Plan (NAP),” the DG ISPR said, adding that the policy document of the operation clearly mentioned this aspect.

“A massive, illegal, political mafia rose to sabotage the operation and its first move was to make the operations controversial”, he said and added that a “very strong lobby” had a “vested interest” because of which it didn’t want the NAP to succeed. He said the entity in question was “receiving a lot of money” to subvert the operation.

He said if Operation Azm-e-Istehkam was properly implemented, it would not only eliminate terrorism but also lead to societal and national uplift. Questioned about an audio leak of TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, the DG ISPR questioned what brand of religion the militant was preaching that involved blowing up schools, colleges, hospitals, and homes.

“[Such narratives and actions] will be taken to their logical end,” he said, adding that they “only strengthen our resolve that Azm-e-Istehkam is imperative and necessary” for the country’s stability and security.

He said kinetic operations were “underway in a splendid manner” with “four to five operations in every hour”.

 He said it was decided in 2014 and 2021 that Counter-Terrorism Departments would be established at the provincial levels and they would be responsible for leading operations against terrorism.

The DG ISPR said the National Action Plan also talked about the regularisation and registration of religious seminaries but only a bit over 16,000 was done and thus the status of 50 percent was unknown. “Is this the responsibility of the Army?” he questioned.

‘Violence in Bannu’

On violence during a peace rally in Bannu, the DG ISPR mentioned last week’s terrorist attack on Bannu Cantonment that martyred eight military personnel. He said the locals had demanded carrying out a peace march the next day and it was agreed that there would be no negative sloganeering. “But when the peace march commenced, some specific negative elements joined to sabotage the gathering,” he added.

He said the rally marched through the point of the terrorist attack and “chanted anti-state slogans and pelted stones”, adding that some armed individuals were already part of the march “who [opened] fire because of which there were injuries”.

He said a temporary wall was also torn down and the supply depot was looted. “This is how it happened. The army’s response was as per SOP (standard operating procedure) and as per orders. When the May 9 incident happened, a specific political group, a chaotic crowd, started propaganda that why didn’t the army stop them.” The DG ISPR said riot control and law and order were the provincial government’s responsibility. He said protests should definitely take place and the nation had a right to express its anger over terrorist incidents.

On recent sit-in by Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), he said the issue at its core was about Palestine. “This is a very important and sensitive issue. It should be clear that the state and army have a clear stance on the issue of Palestine: it is genocide and unacceptable.” He said Pakistan had sent over 1,100 tonnes of aid to Palestine.

About propaganda on social media, the DG said: “What is happening is digital terrorism.”

He said ‘digital terrorists’ used the tools of cell phones, computers, falsehood and propaganda to impose their views on society, on the same pattern of other terrorists. The DG ISPR questioned the lack of action against such individuals despite their activities against the country’s leadership and other institutions.

‘Digital terrorism’

“There has been increase in anti-army propaganda, lies, misinformation through organised campaign, to counter this, there would be regular press briefing by ISPR in the days to come”, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said.  The target of digital terrorists is the Pakistan Army. Physical terrorists can be eliminated by operations but digital terrorists have to be stopped by law and monitoring,” Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said. He said digital terrorism has to be dealt through legislation by the government as its being practiced in the Western countries. “Bully has to be denied space if not stopped, bully would keep moving”, he said. “Syria, Libya, Iraq are the most recent examples of the digital terrorism “, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said.

Through digital terrorism hate and divide was created in the countries which finally broke down before these elements, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said. Kharjis (Run away elements) are in Afghanistan and waged terrorism against Pakistan and India on Eastern border is watching that when Pakistan Army would be weakened and it would attack Pakistan, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said.

“Those who did not accept the writ of the state tried to bring their own version of Shariah and laws. The army has cleared several locations, and now it is the task of the provincial governments to start development,” he emphasized. Lt Gen Chaudhry said an attempt was made to incite people against the Army and create hatred, adding the whole society and the country will prosper by implementing Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, which is campaign and vision.

He regretted that the legal and judicial system adopted leniency towards the facilitators and planners of May 9 and they were not punished. “If the perpetrators of May 9 are not brought to justice, chaos will spread further in the country,” he warned.

Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the whole nation heard intercepted phone call, how TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud issued orders to blow up houses and hospitals, asking which religion ordained blowing up schools, colleges, hospitals, and houses. “Noor Wali’s call has strengthened our plan for Operation Azm-e-Istehkam.” He said “digital terrorists” impose their thoughts on people through lies and fake news, adding that sometimes their identities or whereabouts aren’t even known. Lt Gen Chaudhry said “digital terrorists” are made heroes in the name of freedom of opinion. “If digital terrorism is not stopped, it will increase further. “How many people who spread fake news have been proceeded against?” he questioned.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif also stressed that it is time for the nation to stand up against militants and digital terrorists. Digital terrorism is being committed against armed forces to create wedge between Pak Army and people of Pakistan, he added.

“An Indian general said that if Pakistan is to be destabilised, then the Pakistani Army must be overthrown. The time has come where the entire nation must unite,” he said.