Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, declared during a press conference in Islamabad that there is no room for negotiations with terrorists, emphasizing that insurgents must surrender before the law or face total neutralisation.
Highlighting counter-terrorism achievements over the past five years, the DG ISPR revealed that security forces executed 40,348 Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs), eliminating 2,084 terrorists. Operational breakdowns show 31,080 IBOs conducted in Balochistan, 7,177 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 2,091 in other parts of the country.
Addressing the missing persons narrative, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry stated that false propaganda is being propagated. He noted that individuals listed as missing often turn out to be active militants killed during active combat or anti-terror operations in areas like Mastung and Khuzdar.
Turning to the situation in Balochistan, the military spokesperson pointed out that the primary obstacle to progress in the province is the local feudal elite and tribal chieftains who resist socio-economic development and public education to maintain their dominance. He emphasized that the citizens of Balochistan are the true stakeholders.
Defining a “Hard State,” Lt. Gen. Chaudhry explained that it signifies a governance system where all matters are strictly driven by the Constitution and rule of law—not military rule—reminding that Article 5 of the Constitution mandates absolute allegiance to the state.
