Lt Gen Sharif emphasizes that significant issues were being sacrificed for political gains and reiterated that Azm-i-Istehkam is a comprehensive counter-terrorism campaign launched through national consensus, not merely a military operation.
RAWALPINDI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 22nd, 2024) A ‘massive illegal political mafia’ is making attempts to undermine the state’s Azm-e-Istehkam operation in a bid to serve their own interests, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif.
The DG ISPR clarified the army's stance amidst rising “organized propaganda” against the armed forces based on “false and concocted news,”.
He made these remarks while addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi on Monday.
Lt Gen Sharif emphasized that significant issues were being sacrificed for political gains and reiterated that Azm-i-Istehkam is a comprehensive counter-terrorism campaign launched through national consensus, not merely a military operation.
He accused a "very strong lobby" with vested interests of attempting to make the operation controversial, revealing that this entity is "receiving a lot of money" to subvert the effort. He stressed that the stakes are high, driven by financial motives rather than ideology. Proper implementation of Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, he asserted, would eliminate terrorism and lead to societal and national uplift.
Addressing questions about an alleged audio leak of TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, Lt Gen Sharif questioned the militant's interpretation of islam, which involves attacking educational and healthcare facilities. He affirmed that such narratives would be brought to their logical end, reinforcing the necessity of Azm-i-Istehkam for the country's stability and security.
Regarding recent violence during a peace rally in Bannu, Lt Gen Sharif linked it to a terrorist attack on Bannu Cantonment, where negative elements disrupted the march with anti-state slogans and violence. He defended the army's response as per standard operating procedures and criticized the judicial system for leniency towards May 9 incident perpetrators, which he said encourages further discord.
Lt Gen Sharif emphasized that maintaining law and order is the provincial government's responsibility, not the military's. He also addressed the recent Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) sit-in, clarifying the state's clear stance on the Palestinian issue and rejecting claims that the military orchestrated the protest.
He condemned "digital terrorism," where individuals use technology to spread falsehoods and propaganda against state institutions. He called for accountability for those spreading such narratives, criticizing the lack of legal action against them.
Lt Gen Sharif highlighted the ongoing kinetic operations under the National Action Plan's 14 points, with multiple operations happening every hour. He pointed out challenges in implementing other aspects of the plan, such as establishing provincial Counter-Terrorism Departments and registering religious seminaries, questioning whether these tasks should fall to the military.
He noted that all political parties had agreed to eliminate the "illegal spectrum" that supports criminal systems and terrorism, emphasizing that tackling this would benefit society beyond merely curbing terrorism. However, he indicated that vested interests benefiting financially from the status quo are resistant to these changes.
Last month, the Federal government approved this operation to counter a surge in terrorist attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ending its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. Lt Gen Sharif stated that contrary to the narrative suggesting the operation would displace people, its sole purpose is to revitalize the National Action Plan (NAP).
