By Khawaja Hamza
Rawalpindi, In an informal briefing with journalists, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), addressed key national security concerns, emphasizing Pakistan’s readiness to safeguard its borders and people while maintaining a clear stance of non-involvement in politics.
“Decisions regarding peace and military action in Gaza will be taken by the government and parliament,” Lt. Gen. Chaudhry stated, underlining the military’s respect for civilian authority. He reiterated, “The army does not want to get entangled in politics, and it is essential to keep the military away from political matters.”
Highlighting Pakistan’s self-reliance in policymaking, the DG ISPR said, “Pakistan is fully capable of making independent policy decisions.” On domestic security operations, he reported that over 62,000 operations were conducted this year, resulting in the neutralization of 1,667 terrorists during operations against groups like Fitanah-ul-Khawarij and the Taliban. “Most operations took place in Balochistan,” he added, noting that 582 soldiers lost their lives in these operations.
The DG ISPR also addressed cross-border threats, particularly from Afghanistan. “Afghanistan’s conditions hold little meaning; ending terrorism is what matters,” he said, pointing out that Afghanistan is a major source of narcotics smuggling into Pakistan. “There is significant interference of drug smugglers in Afghan politics, and a large quantity of drugs is being smuggled into Pakistan.”
On the evolving Taliban threat, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry clarified, “The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has pledged allegiance to the Afghan Taliban and is effectively a branch of it.” He noted that during recent border tensions, 206 Afghan Taliban members and 112 Fitanah-ul-Khawarij terrorists were killed.
Turning to regional security concerns, the DG ISPR issued a stark warning to India. “India may attempt another false flag operation in the deep seas. Whatever India plans to do on land, sea, or air, it should know that Pakistan’s response this time will be stronger than ever.”
Lt. Gen. Chaudhry also provided insights into Pakistan’s education and counter-terrorism landscape. “The number of religious seminaries has risen from 48,000 in 2014 to over 100,000 now,” he stated, while emphasizing swift responses to security threats from Afghan territory. “Pakistan’s bottom-line is clear: Afghan soil must not be used against us.”
On internal security, he added, “Criminal and terrorist groups remain major obstacles to curbing crime and smuggling within the country,” while stressing that operations against these groups are ongoing and vigorous.
In closing, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry’s message was clear: Pakistan remains committed to protecting its people and borders, combating terrorism decisively, and maintaining a non-political military stance.
