Three years of Radd-ul-Fasaad’s success

Recently, a Pakistan Army colonel was martyred near Tank in an intelligence-based operation (IBO). Before that several other officers were martyred in similar operations, including a Military Intelligence colonel in Quetta and a major in DI Khan. All of them led intelligence based operations against terrorists; they were leading from the front and sacrificed their lives for the country.

These IBOs were part of the Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad launched across the country in February 2017 to “indiscriminately eliminate residual threat of terrorism, consolidate gains of operations made thus far and further ensure security of our borders”. Besides the army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces (Rangers) and other LEAs (police, etc) have participated in this “Broad Spectrum Security/Counter Terrorism operation”.

The operation was launched following a spate of terror attacks in the country. These terror attacks did not mean that the earlier Operation Zarb-i-Azb was lacking; that operation had focused on North Waziristan and successfully eliminated the hub of terrorism. However, every such operation needs a follow-up, especially when terrorists were infiltrating into the country across the long and porous border and had facilitators and supporters present within the borders. The current operation successfully threw a spanner in the working of terrorists and destroyed their scattered and covert command and control structures and ability to launch cohesive attacks. It aimed at wiping out concealed terrorism ecosystem, supported by the NDS and RAW, and fully addressed the security question in the country.

Serious introspection and proper planning have gone into the Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad. The objectives of Radd-ul-Fasaad have been laid bare and there were no ambiguities involved in it. The top military leadership calibrated the pace and intensity of the operations.

Overall, the Pakistan Army has averted more than 400 terrorist plans in the past three years. Since February 22, 2017, the Pak Army conducted more than 149,000 Intelligence-Based Operations across the country. During the same period, the army issued more than 3,800 threat warnings, which helped save hundreds of precious lives. In the war against terrorism since 2001-2020, more than 350 major and more than 850 minor operations were conducted by the Pakistan Army. The terrorist-ridden Karachi city also moved from sixth on the Crimes Index in world capitals to 91st position due to the massive efforts of Pakistan Army.

As the operation completed its three years on February 22, 2020, the Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said the operation indiscriminately eliminated residual/latent threat of terrorism and ensured security of Pakistan borders. “In this journey from Terrorism to Tourism, Security forces & Int agencies backed by the entire Nation, achieved unparalleled success at a monumental cost paid in men & material. Tribute to our martyrs, our real heroes, our pride,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate quoted the Army chief as having said on the occasion. “Gains of 2 decades of war on terror shall be consolidated to achieve enduring peace and stability both for Pak & the region. Army is aware and capable of thwarting all threats to security/sovereignty of Pakistan irrespective of the cost,” the COAS added.

The operation Raddul-Fasaad has restored peace and stability in the country but also helped Pakistan in mainstreaming the Federally Administered Tribal Areas by merging it with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Raddul Fassad has also led the way in opening of the Kartarpur Corridor on eastern border, a major peace initiative taken by Pakistan with regard to India. The Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad has zeroed in on the crux of the terrorism problem and eliminated the remnants of terrorists, including their facilitators, which were out to destabilize the four provinces. It has also ensured much secure borders, thus ending terrorism dynamics from evolving further in the country.