ISPR briefing

Operation Khyber-IV, launched in July as part of the larger Operation Raddul Fasaad, was aimed at clearing the Islamic State from its bases in the Rajgal Valley of Khyber Agency. In an unusually wide-ranging briefing, DG ISPR Major-General Asif Ghafoor, following the completion of Khyber IV, has said that the military has succeeded in driving away militants and is also succeeding just as well in similar operations in urban areas. Maj-Gen Ghafoor emphasised that during the latest operation, all groups of militants had been targeted, including the Haqqani Network. This is particularly significant that it comes at a time when the Trump administration has attacked Pakistan as a safe haven for terrorists, with the ISPR chief stating that Pakistan’s views on this matter had already been put across to a visiting US delegation by both the civilian and military leadership.

The press conference touched on a range of security issues with Ghafoor revealing that the intended target of the suicide attack on Ferozepur Road in Lahore in July was Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He also denied there was a real sectarian conflict in the country, only saying that some elements are trying to inflame the people. He gave the example of a 2013 attack on a Sunni mosque in Rawalpindi, which turned out to have been carried out by Sunnis posing as Shias. Ghafoor said the group behind that attack shared similarities with the network set up by Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav. While it is important to root out any conspiracies against the state, whether being hatched at home or abroad, we also shouldn’t be in denial about the very real problems that exist within our own country, such as the presence of terrorist sectarian elements. Of course, when divisions such as these exist, enemies from outside will try and exploit them. Our history is unfortunately such that we need not look much further than inside the country to see where such sectarian outfits originated from. Today too we can see such organisations openly advocating violence against one sect or the other – there being little by way of state policy regarding such outfits.

Of significance were Ghafoor’s remarks on speculations about a divide between military and civil institutions. He denied any such divide existed and took up Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani’s offer to hold a dialogue between the different institutions in the country. While all sides have always maintained there are no significant problems in civil-military relations, our chequered history means the fear of a fall-out is ever-present. This is why it was important that Ghafoor forthrightly stated that the commentary former military dictator and current fugitive from justice Pervez Musharraf is providing on the Supreme Court verdict in the Nawaz Sharif case reflects only his personal view and not that of the institution which he used to head. We must remember that any progress made in the fight against militancy will be squandered if all state institutions are not on the same page. The grand dialogue could be one way to openly discuss any issues and ensure no one encroaches on anyone else’s constitutional responsibilities. This is important both for our national security and the evolution of our democracy.