Amid successive terrorist attacks in capitals of three provinces — Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) — in past three days, the civil and military leadership sat together here in the federal capital to discuss a joint strategy to deal with the new surge in incidents of terrorism aimed at destabilising the development process emanating in the wake of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired the meeting which reviewed the security situation. The meeting was also attended by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of General Staff Lt General Bilal Akbar, National Security Adviser Nasser Khan Janjua, directors general of Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Bureau and other senior government officials.
The meeting condemned the recent terror attacks in Lahore, Mohmand Agency, Peshawar, and Quetta, and paid tributes to the great national heroes who laid down their lives to secure a peaceful future for Pakistan. This was the first barrage of attacks following the successful military operation, Zarb-e-Azb, against hardcore terrorists in North Waziristan and other tribal areas called.
“The meeting reiterated the national resolve of complete physical and ideological annihilation of terrorism and extremism. It was agreed that the gains of operations executed by military, civil armed forces and police will not be lost and the state would ensure that terrorists do not resurge, at any cost,” says an official handout issued by Prime Minister’s House.
The meeting noted that the armed forces, police, civilian law enforcement agencies and people at large have rendered unrivalled sacrifices in this war against terrorism. The participants vowed to defeat the new narrative of terrorists which they said had also been failed to prevail whereas the narrative of peace, stability and prosperity has taken over.
“The meeting reinforced that the overall situation in the country has improved, including in FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas), Balochistan and Karachi as a result of the state’s offensive against terrorists and miscreants,” the statement said. The meeting made a resolve that terrorism emanating within the country or executed and harboured from outside the country will be eliminated and those posing threat to peace and security of the country will be liquidated by the might of the state.