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| 70 militants dead as Dir operation ends |
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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
By Muhammad Anis
RAWALPINDI: Following successful operation against militants in Lower Dir, security forces on Tuesday afternoon launched an offensive against the Taliban militants in the Buner district.
“The aim of the offensive, which began at 4 pm, is to eliminate and expel the militants from Buner,” Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Maj-Gen Athar Abbas told a news conference here on Tuesday. He said the security forces, including the FC and the Army, had entered Buner to extend the operation against the militants and the FC IG was overseeing the offensive.
He said from 450 to 500 militants, equipped with latest weapons, were present in various parts of Buner and they were constantly receiving arms, money and sophisticated communication system from unknown resources.
He said there was no proof of involvement of a foreign hand in militancy, but there were reports that money, arms and ammunition and telecommunication systems had been provided to them.
The ISPR DG said jet fighters of the Pakistan Air Force were also taking part in the operation. He, however, added that the government would not allow anyone to challenge the writ of the government.
He said the operation was meant to flush out the militants from Buner. He added that the operation in Lower Dir, which started on Sunday, had been completed. “The operation in Dir has successfully been completed, during which 70 to 75 militants were killed,” he said. Ten personnel of the security forces were martyred during the operation.
During the press conference, Maj-Gen Abbas arranged various tele-conversations, which were intercepted through intelligence means. The recording of the conversations between militant commanders, including those of Maulvi Fazlullah, were played.
Responding to a question about a statement of US General Mike Mullen, the ISPR DG said they had full confidence in their capabilities. “We know our abilities as how to deal with the threats from inside and from the neighbour,” he said.
Giving some background of the trouble in Dir, he said over 300 militants had started entering Lower Dir on April 2 and 3. Despite warning from the government officials, they did not stop their unlawful activities, he added.
“They were involved in kidnapping for ransom, killing police and other security officials and other unlawful acts,” he said. Responding to a question, he said the people of Buner were living in fear and claims of the militants of leaving the area were a fake show.
“They are forcibly recruiting the youth and establishing posts on mountains, and they have also restricted the movement of women,” he said. Replying to another query, Maj-Gen Abbas said the Taliban could not reach Islamabad.
“All the media reports on threats from the militants to the federal capital are baseless,” he said. “They cannot reach the federal capital,” he added. To another question, he said the whereabouts of Maulana Sufi Muhammad were not known.
APP adds: Maj-Gen Abbas said the operation to eliminate and expel the militants from Buner might last for around one week. He said the operation in Buner had been launched after finding all the process of peaceful means to be a complete failure.
He said the government showed maximum restraint and did not go for any operation with the aim to fully expose the aims of the militants. Finally, watching the deteriorating situation, the government was left with no other option but to launch the operation, he said.
He said no foreign militant was found during the Dir operation. “It’s not a matter of distance that how far they (militants) are, but there are many other factors. We have a foolproof system in place to check any such activity or threat,” he said with regard to the threat of the militants reaching Islamabad.
He added: “We are a country of 170 million inhabitants and having a very big military, coupled with a huge and strong system of paramilitary and police in place. We know how we can defend our motherland. We all are here to take care of our motherland, so there is no need to worry about.”
He expressed concern that the media did not carry prominently the news of contradiction or denial of a report carried by it earlier. “We had contradicted a news item, according to which, a senior military officer was stated to be delivering a sermon and offering prayers under the headship of a militant leader.”
Replying to another question, he said the nuclear assets of the country were safe and guarded well. Any report terming them unsafe was part of a malicious and baseless campaign being launched against the country, he added.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
