RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: The Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) has said that attempts by Islamic State (IS or also called Daesh) to organize itself in Pakistan have been foiled.
While briefing the media representatives in Rawalpindi on Thursday, the ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa said that in this connection 309 arrests have been made including 25 foreigners of Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi nationalities.
Bajwa said that people linked with Daesh had plans to target important personalities belonging to different walks of life and state symbols.
While giving update on achievements of operation Zarb-e-Azb, he said that 3,500 terrorists have so far been killed while their 992 hide outs destroyed. He said that 900 terrorists have been killed in Khyber operation.
Likewise, he said that 537 personnel of armed forces were martyred and 2272 others injured in anti-terror operation in the tribal region.
The Director General ISPR said that Pakistan incurred staggering losses in men and material in the war against terror and therefore, no one should doubt Pakistan’s intention to fight the menace.
Bajwa said that 21,383 intelligence based operations (IBOs) have been carried out in the entire country during which 222 terrorists were killed and 31,400 arrests made. He said that there have been 168 combing operations leading to 744 arrests.
Lt General Asim Bajwa said that there has been a marked improvement in security and law and order situation due to operation Zarb-e-Azb.
Talking about Karachi operation, he said that visible reduction has been witnessed in target killings, extortions and kidnapping for ransom. He said that 447 target killers were eliminated during the operation.
Bajwa said that proper gates would be installed at 18 major crossing points between Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of border management. He added that staff of immigration and other relevant departments would be posted there to ensure that no one crosses the border without valid documents.
The DG ISPR said that Pakistan is establishing border posts and deploying Frontier Corps (FC) personnel to keep a check on cross border movement but the Afghan side is not fulfilling its commitment in this regard.
Moreover, Asim Saleem Bajwa said that an Infrastructure Development Plan has been prepared for terrorism affected areas. Under this, 705 kilometers of roads in North and South Waziristan have been constructed to serve as new trade corridor between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Baja said that 66 percent temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) have also returned to their areas against the target of completion of the task by the year end.
