Operations against TTP will continue till its eradication
The Director General of Inter Services Public Relations, Major General Babar Iftikhar has said that speculations regarding a deal with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif are unsubstantiated and baseless.
“If anyone asks you about a deal then you should ask the circumstances and the name of the person who is cracking a deal with them,” he said while addressing a press conference over multi-security challenges in the region.
He termed it speculation and said that it is better to minimize such discussions as the country has far important issues like health and education.
Babar Iftikhar said that the purpose of erecting the fence along the Afghan border was to provide security to people along the border, not create divisions among them.
The army spokesperson addressing a presser said that the fence along the border was a need of the hour to regulate trade, movement and provide security along the border.
According to Gen Iftikhar, 94 per cent of the work on fencing has been completed along the Pak-Iran border.
“The blood of our martyrs is involved in erecting this fence. Peace will prevail and God willing it will last,” he added.
Speaking about border crossings, he said people from border areas can travel via border terminals and designated crossing points, adding that this system will be made effective over time.
Gen Iftikhar said the security situation on the western border remained challenging and added that the Western Border Management, especially the Pakistan-Afghan border, has its own strategic dynamics that are being addressed on relevant forums.
He also maintained that there is no trouble afoot when it comes to civil-military relations and urged the media to “keep the establishment out of it”.
The army spokesperson said an operation was conducted in North Waziristan to ensure the writ of the state along the Pak-Afghan border.
As a result of the operation, the fencing of the border in the area also got underway, he said, adding that the terrain – that was inaccessible due to hostile weather – was being used by terrorists to cross the border.
Gen Iftikhar said the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in August had an impact on Pakistan’s security situation.
“But we are completely focused and the work started under Western Border Management Regime will be taken to its logical end,” he added.
He said there was full coordination on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border, adding that to prevent spoilers, these area-specific incidents needed to be resolved with patience.
According to the ISPR DG, Pakistan has more than 1,200 border posts along the Pak-Afghan border while there are 377 posts on the other side of the border.
“This means that there is a distance of at least 7-8 km between check posts,” he said, adding that the shortage of posts has made it challenging to keep the militants in check.
Last year, 164 forts were constructed along the Pak-Afghan border and 31 forts were established, adding that so far a total of 673 forts/border posts have been constructed.
