Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: The top military brass on Thursday called for expediting implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) through Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad jointly by respective stakeholders for lasting peace and stability in the country.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the 200th Corps Commanders’ Conference presided over by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa was held at the General Headquarters.

The commanders reviewed geo-strategic and security environment with special focus on internal security, Pak-Afghan border situation and Indian ceasefire violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control (LOC) and the Working Boundary (WB).

The army chief also informed the participants about his visits to the UAE and Qatar, which remained successful in making positive progress.

The forum hailed the performance of security forces, including police, intelligence and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs), for their effective response to recent terrorist incidents and making security arrangements for the PSL final in Lahore.

The corps commanders also discussed Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad in detail. “Radd-ul-Fasaad is a comprehensive, across-the-board operation against terrorists and terrorism, and not against any particular race, sect or group,” General Bajwa said.

The forum also acknowledged the participation and support of the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy in the ongoing operations.

Discussing the progress of the NAP, the corps commanders concluded that through Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, implementation of the NAP needed to be expedited jointly, by respective stakeholders, for lasting peace and stability in the country.

The COAS also informed the participants about the discussions made at the last security conference with government authorities, which included phased fencing of the Pak-Afghan border, repatriation of Afghan refugees, judicial, police and madrassa/educational institutions reforms and resuming execution of terrorists who had been awarded death sentences by military courts.

The forum expressed its confidence on the performance of military courts. “However, decision for reinstatement of military courts rests with the government,” the ISPR said in a statement.

News leaks issue was also discussed, the military’s media wing stated.

The forum also reviewed Pakistan Army’s support in conducting the 6th Housing and Population Census 2017.

The COAS said that the army would undertake this task as a national service.

The forum concluded that hostile agencies were trying to undo Pakistan’s gains in security and development, especially the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The forum pledged that their designs would be defeated through “whole of the nation” approach. The commanders reiterated the resolve of the Pakistan Army to play its due role towards defence and security of the motherland. “Sacrifices made by resilient people of Pakistan and its brave security forces shall not go waste,” the statement added.

It may be mentioned here that the Pakistan Army on February 22 launched ‘Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad’ across the country. Radd-ul-Fasaad – which translates roughly to ‘elimination of discord’ – aimed at indiscriminately eliminating the “residual/latent threat of terrorism”, consolidating the gains made in other military operations, and further ensuring the security of Pakistan’s borders.

Under the operation, the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, civil armed forces and other security and law enforcement agencies would actively participate in and ‘intimately support’ the armed forces’ efforts to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country, the ISPR had said.

The effort entails conduct of broad-spectrum security/counterterrorism operations by Rangers in Punjab, continuation of ongoing operations across the country, and focus on more effective border security management.

Countrywide deweaponisation and explosive control are additional cardinals of the effort. “Pursuance of the National Action Plan will be the hallmark of this operation,” it military had said.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army on Thursday strongly rejected Indian concerns on terrorists’ movement along the Line of Control (LoC) during a hotline contact between military officials of the two countries.

“Instead, Pakistan Director General Military Operations (DGMO) asked his India counterpart to look inward and share evidence,” ISPR Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a tweet.

According to the statement, the Indian official also informed his Pakistani counterpart that two Pakistani students would be repatriated through the Wagah border today (Friday) after investigations concluded that they were not involved in the Uri attack.