Media crucial in building national narrative
Says there is no civil-military rift
Pakistan safe to hold sporting events, even FATA
RAWALPINDI: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor has said that the Pakistan Army has successfully completed the Operation Khyber-4 in Rajgal Valley, Khyber Agency.
While addressing a press conference on Monday, ISPR director general said that the army cleared around 253 square kilometres of area, adding that a separate clearance operation is also in progress in Khyber Valley.
He said 2 army personnel were killed in the operation while 52 militants were killed. The army has also set up 91 check posts in the area in order to sustain the fruits of the operation.
Referring to other intelligence-based operations in the country, the ISPR added that 24,000 operations have been carried out in Pakistan that led to a significant decline in the terror incidents across the country.
“Under Operation Raddul Fasaad, 3,330 IBOs were conducted across the country out of which 1,728 were conducted in Punjab,” said DG ISPR.
In Sindh, Gen Ghafoor said 1,467 IBOs were conducted and there was one incident of terror in 2017 as compared to 57 in 2013.
“In terms of street crimes in cities like Karachi, the situation will get better once the police force is made stronger.”
‘MEDIA SUPPORT NEEDED’:
Reportedly, the DG also said that media’s assistance is essential in building the national narrative against the ideas propagated by hostile forces in the country. Commenting on Pakistan’s war on terror, he said that the mantra of “do more” is a politicised narrative introduced by many unfriendly forces, including India.
Ghafoor said that as a state, “we need to realise that we have done a lot”. “Media plays a big role in shaping the narrative, and I request the media to help shape Pakistan’s narrative,” said the army spokesperson. He further said that a narrative shaped by media with the help of the state would be more effective in tackling the anti-state narratives.
RAJA BAZAAR RIOT:
During the press conference, the ISPR also showed confessions of two arrested terrorists who were involved in inciting a sectarian riot during a religious procession in Muharram. The arrested terrorists had attacked a mosque of the same sect which they belonged to and were instructed by their handlers to dress in black clothes – in order to look like a part of Shia procession.
“We set the place ablaze and opened fire,” said the arrested terrorist commander. ISPR further said the terrorists had also attacked a mosque in Rawalpindi in 2013.
“The attack took place in Rawalpindi’s Raja Bazaar in 2013 during Muharram.”
“These terrorists were linked with a network of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav,” said Ghafoor.
He said the sectarian conflict was not started from where the enemies of the state had planned to initiate it.
Commenting on the Temporarily Displaced People (TDPs), Ghafoor said most of the inhabitants from conflict-affected areas, 95 per cent, have been repatriated to their native areas.
Gen Ghafoor emphasised that civil-military divide does not exist in the country as the army has no involvement in the political matters.
Referring to Dawn Leaks, Ghafoor said the government has the prerogative to start an inquiry in whichever case it so wishes.
MILITANT HIDEOUTS ALONG PAK-AFGHAN BORDER:
ISPR director general said that the militant hideouts present near the Pak-Afghan border were cleared by the security forces. But the army will have to operate in the already cleared area as the terrorists—fleeing from the area under operation—have made their hideout in these areas.
He expressed confidence in the results of operations, saying that the army has broken the backbone of terror outfits and it is almost impossible for them to gain strength.
He said that Pakistan has conducted operations to establish control over its areas along the Afghan border.
The ISPR director general said: “All cities of Pakistan are safe and there will be no security issue”, adding that all cities are safe to hold sporting events and “we can hold a match in any city, including FATA”.