Talks underway for Rangers operations in Punjab, says ISPR

Total of 309 Daesh terrorists, including country commander apprehended

INTER-SERVICES Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa has said talks are underway with regards to delegating powers to the paramilitary Rangers in Punjab. Briefing newsmen here on Thursday, he said attempts by Daesh to organise itself in Pakistan had been foiled and 309, including 25 foreigners of Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi nationalities, had been arrested. He said people linked with Daesh had plans to target important personalities belonging to different walks of life and state symbols.

Giving update on achievements of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, Bajwa said 3,500 terrorists had so far been killed and 992 hideouts destroyed. He said 900 terrorists had been killed in the Khyber operation. He said 537 personnel of armed forces were martyred and 2272 others injured.

The ISPR DG said 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.

He said 21,383 intelligence based operations had been carried out in the entire country during which 222 terrorists were killed and 31,400 arrests were made. “Some 168 combing operations were carried out leading to 744 arrests,” he added. Bajwa said there had been a marked improvement in security and law and order situation due to the operation Zarb-e-Azb. About the Karachi operation, the director general said visible reduction had been witnessed in target killings, extortions and kidnapping for ransom. He said 447 target killers were eliminated during the operation. Asim Bajwa said proper gates would be installed at 18 major crossing points between Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of border management.

“Staff of immigration and other relevant departments would be posted to ensure that no one crosses the border without valid documents,” he added.

The ISPR director-general said Pakistan was establishing border posts and deploying Frontier Constabulary personnel to keep a check on cross border movement but the Afghan side was not fulfilling its commitment in this regard.

He said an infrastructure development plan had been prepared for terrorism-hit areas. Under this, 705 kilometres of roads in North and South Waziristan had been constructed to serve as new trade corridor between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Bajwa said 66 per cent TDPs had also returned to their areas against the target of completion of the task by the year-end. He said certain actions would be taken against the MQM in coming days. “Some actions have been taken. Slogans against Pakistan are not acceptable in any way,” he said, adding “The government is taking action in this regard.”

Referring to Altaf Hussain, Bajwa said that slogan against Pakistan was raised by a foreign citizen which was not acceptable at any cost.