Recent terror wave linked with Afghan situation

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Major General Babar Iftikhar on Saturday said that the growing number of terrorism incidents and attacks on security forces in the country were linked with the developing political situation in Afghanistan.

“The recent terrorist incident has linkage with the Afghanistan situation,” the ISPR DG said during an interview, adding that the act was a “desperation of terrorists”.

He said that as a result of our operations, there is no organised terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and the leadership of all these networks is sitting across in Afghanistan and they have had the support of RAW and India.

The military’s spokesperson said that as many as 167 terror incidents had taken place since May 1, while security forces have conducted more than 7,000 IBOs and cordon and search operations.

“We are meticulously monitoring the regional situation and playing a sincere role in Afghan peace process. We left no stone unturned in peace talks among all stakeholders of the peace process; however, Afghanistan’s own stakeholders have to decide their future,” Maj Gen Iftikhar said, adding “We are not guarantors to Afghanistan peace process.”

He stressed that peace in Pakistan was linked with peace in Afghanistan.

Elaborating the measures taken to beef up security, the ISPR chief said that fencing of the Pakistan-Afghan border was “90 per cent complete” and would be finished soon, adding that work to fence the Pakistan-Iran border was also being expedited. He said the fencing of the Afghan border would be as beneficial for Afghanistan’s security as for Pakistan.