Peshawar (Urdu Times) Political and criminal nexus fueling terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa- DG ISPR

Peshawar, October 10, 2025 (Urdu Times): Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), on Friday accused a “political and criminal nexus” of underpinning terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), saying foreign militants and their local facilitators had been allowed space under “premeditated plans.”

Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, the army spokesman said his visit was intended to sit with the people of KP and pay tribute to their role in the country’s counter-terrorism efforts. He warned those aiding foreign militants that they face three options: hand over the foreigners to state authorities, cooperate with state operations to bring terrorists to justice, or prepare for decisive action by the state.

“The space for foreign terrorists and their facilitators will be squeezed,” Lt-Gen. Chaudhry said, adding that the Pakistan Army is determined to eradicate terrorism and will no longer tolerate the old status quo. “We are fighting the scourge of terrorism, and we must together uproot this cancer.”

The DG ISPR cited security statistics to underline his point, saying more than 14,500 operations were conducted in KP and that the number of foreign militants killed this year exceeds the total of the past decade. He gave figures for recent operations, saying intelligence-led activities resulted in 14,535 operations in KP in 2024 and 10,115 operations so far in 2025. He also said that more than 900 militants have been neutralised this year.

Lt-Gen. Chaudhry blamed sanctuaries across the border in Afghanistan and alleged Indian support for using Afghanistan as a base for anti-Pakistan activity. He recalled the 2014 Army Public School attack and said that while a National Action Plan (NAP) was jointly agreed by political and military leadership, incomplete implementation of the plan contributed to a resurgence of violence.

On the domestic front, the DG ISPR urged political leaders and tribal elders to reinforce their commitment to eliminating the nexus between terrorists and criminal elements. He defended the use of force where necessary, arguing that not all conflicts can be resolved through dialogue.

Addressing the contentious issue of Afghan refugees, Lt-Gen. Chaudhry said Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for decades but warned against misleading narratives that oppose their return. He said decisions on repatriation were a matter for the state and should not be politicised.

The army spokesman also highlighted challenges facing law enforcement, praising KP’s police and the Counter-Terrorism Department while noting a shortfall in manpower — saying only 3,200 CTD personnel are sanctioned for KP.

Concluding his remarks, Lt-Gen. Chaudhry reiterated that dismantling the nexus between terrorists and criminal networks remains a priority and called for unified action by the state, political leadership and local communities to eradicate terrorism from the province.