PESHAWAR: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Friday that nearly 30 suicide bombers involved in terrorist attacks over the past two years were Afghan nationals, suggesting that India is exploiting Afghanistan to orchestrate terrorism against Pakistan.
Speaking at a detailed press conference at Corps Headquarters Peshawar, the DG ISPR said that a terror-crime nexus lies behind the ongoing wave of militant activities, emphasizing that India is providing financial and logistical support to these groups.
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Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said that a “political-criminal nexus” was driving the recent surge in terrorism across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). He warned that certain political elements are promoting false narratives against ongoing anti-terror operations, attempting to mislead the public and undermine the sacrifices of Pakistan’s security forces.
“This deliberate campaign is a reflection of the political-criminal nexus that continues to threaten the province’s peace,” he stated, adding that no one will be allowed to trade the rights or the future of the people of KP for personal or political gain.
The DG ISPR said that the collusion between political actors and militant groups is not as effective in Sindh or Punjab, but KP remains a key target of such alliances. He reiterated that the state, armed forces, and law enforcement agencies will take zero-tolerance action against facilitators of terrorism—no matter their rank or influence.
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Providing figures, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said that during 2024, security forces conducted 435 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in KP, while daily operations average around 40. In 2024, 577 personnel were martyred, and in 2025 so far, 10,115 IBOs have been carried out, resulting in the elimination of 917 terrorists.
He added that 516 civilians and soldiers have lost their lives in KP this year alone, while the largest number of foreign militants in a decade were neutralized in 2024. The DG ISPR identified governance failures, poor policy implementation, and lack of political will as major reasons for the persistence of terrorism.
He criticized the incomplete implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), saying its first point—to eliminate terrorists and their facilitators—was never fully executed. “Whenever law enforcement agencies act against these networks, resistance arises from political quarters,” he said, lamenting that such interference undermines national security.
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Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif noted that despite repeated decisions since 2014 to repatriate Afghan refugees, the policy remains inconsistently applied. He also pointed out that madrasas were supposed to be registered under NAP, but that, too, was never properly enforced. The DG ISPR accused India of actively supporting terrorism in Pakistan through proxies operating from Afghanistan.
He further highlighted that the United States left behind $7.2 billion worth of weapons in Afghanistan, many of which are now in the hands of militants attacking Pakistan. “In the past three months alone, 284 counter-terrorism operations have been carried out—70% of them in KP—demonstrating the intensity of the threat,” he said. Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif concluded by reaffirming the Army Chief’s stance that Pakistan’s armed forces are compensating for governance failures with their blood.
“The need of the hour is unity, clarity of purpose, and political will to decisively root out terrorism,” he said. He paid tribute to the martyrs of KP, praising the courage of citizens who continue to support the military in the fight against terrorism. In a recent Bloomberg interview, the DG ISPR emphasized that Pakistan’s defense strategy focuses on indigenous and efficient technology, not on engaging in an arms race with India.
“Our defense development is guided by effectiveness and economic prudence,” he said. “We are open to acquiring technology from both Eastern and Western partners but remain committed to self-reliance.” He stressed that Pakistan’s military budget is a fraction of India’s, reiterating that Islamabad does not seek confrontation but balance and stability in the region.