Rawalpindi / Peshawar:
At least 45 terrorists were killed in operations to fight terrorism in various tribal districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in which 19 soldiers were also martyred, confirmed the army on Saturday while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed that the whole nation stabilizes against the threat of terrorism and foreign proxies.
“From September 10 to 13, 35 khwarij belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij were sent to hell in two separate commitments,” the ISPR of the army, the ISPR, in a statement said. The government has officially appointed Pakistan Tehreek-E-Taliban Prohibited (TTP) and its affiliates like “Fitna al Khwarij”, who use their sanctuaries through the border in Afghanistan to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
By giving ventilation, the ISPR said that an intelligence -based operation (IBO) had been carried out by the security forces in the Bajaur district where the troops actually hired the site of Khwarij and eliminated 22 terrorists after an intense fire exchange.
13 other Khwarij were neutralized in the southern Waziristan district during a separate meeting, added the press release. “However, during an intense fire exchange, 12 brave earth sons, who fought valiantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced the Shahadat.” Weapons and ammunition have also been recovered from terrorists killed.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Marshal Field Syed Asim Munir, who visited Bannu on Saturday, also attended the funeral prayers for martyred soldiers. The Prime Minister complained the martyred soldiers as “real heroes of the nation” and promised that their sacrifices would not go in vain.
He also visited the CMH in Bannu to find out about the health of the injured soldiers during the operation. Given their courage, their morale and their dedication, he praised their “altruistic service to the nation”.
In addition, the security forces led another IBO in the Lal Qilla Maidan region of the Lower Dir district. The troops have effectively hired the location of Khwarij, killing 10 terrorists sponsored by India, said the ISPR. “However, during the intense fire exchange, seven brave threads of land, having fought valiantly, paid for the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat while saving a precious life of innocent civilians, which were made hostage by Khawrij sponsored by India,” he added.
The martyrs’ soldiers were identified as Naïk Abdul Jalil, 39, from northern Waziristan; Naik Gul, 38, of Lakki Marwat; Lance Naik Azmat Ullah, 28, from Lakki Marwat; Sepoy Abdul Malik, 28, from Khyber; Sepoy Muhammad Amjad, 27, of Malakand; Sepoy Muhammad Dawood, 23, from Swabi; and Sepoy Fazal Qayum, 21, from Dera Ismail Khan.
Disinfection operations are underway in the region. “Pakistan security forces are determined to destroy the threat of terrorism sponsored by the country’s India and such sacrifices of our courageous men further strengthen our determination,” added the ISPR.
The army said that intelligence reports have unequivocally confirmed the physical participation of Afghan nationals in these odious acts. In addition, the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan by Fitna al Khawarij terrorists continues to remain a serious concern. Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to respect its responsibilities and denies the use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan wanted peaceful relations with all neighboring countries, including Afghanistan. However, he urged Kabul to make a clear choice between maintaining good links with Islamabad or the continuation of terrorists.
“TTP prohibited and Fitna al Khwarij are responsible for attacks on innocent civilians and our security forces. These hostile forces will not be allowed to sabotage peace in Pakistan,” he added.
He also announced that an important meeting of the federal cabinet would soon be summoned to terrorism. “The enemies of Pakistan cannot impose their destructive ideology on our nation. We will beat them with complete power,” he said.
Earlier when he arrived in Bannu Cantt, the Prime Minister was received by Marshal Syed Asim Munnir and the Peshawar Corps commander. He received a detailed briefing on the region’s safety landscape, in particular the threats posed by Indian back proxies and their facilitators operating across the western border.
Meanwhile, the experts noted with alarm that terrorist activity prospered in the withdrawal of post-American forces in Afghanistan. An article of September 12 in the Jerusalem Post indicates that Al-Qaeda has resurfaced in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban, constituting a renewed threat to the United States and world security. The group has rebuilt the networks, led by Hamza bin Laden and Saif Al Adel, with training camps distributed in the Afghan provinces and links with the Taliban factions.
Experts have also said that AL-Qaeda, TTP & ISKP as well as Afghan Taliban strengthens their terrorist link, directly endangering the security of Pakistan and other regional countries with the United States.
They warned that the TTP is transformed into an international terrorist outfit threatening world peace and transnational security. And the expansion of TTP in the region is fueled by Al-Qaeda and Taliban cooperation. They said that the bond of terror was a daily threat to the stability and national security of Pakistan.
