No 'new anti-terror operation' going to be launched, says Khawaja Asif
Pakistan
Top military brass briefed on security situation as no one ever did
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday the army was not about to launch a new anti-terrorism operation in the country after speculations arose.
Talking to Dunya News, he said today’s (Friday) National Assembly (NA) session was positive adding that operations were going on against terrorism and would continue. “The session deliberated on implementing all the provisions of the National Action Plan (NAP),” he added.
NAP was not active as it had been in 2013-14, he reckoned.
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Mr Asif said Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir, Director General (DG) ISI Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmad Anjum, and DG MO briefed the assembly session about the country’s security situation. “It was an impressive briefing and we never came across one ever,” he added. Parliament was, he said, empowered today (Friday).
The minister went on to say that the federal government arranged a grant of Rs417 billion to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for security by slashing the NFC share of other provinces. “The provincial administration failed to use those funds to counter terrorism,” he added.
An attempt was being made to create chaos in the country, he claimed, to avoid accountability on KP security funds.
He alluded that the session also discussed the economic situation of the country adding that the need to bring the economic situation under control was also stressed. “The session was also briefed on politics and social media propaganda going on against the economy,” he added.
Mr Asif said he could not say anything about grand dialogue adding that politicians would keep holding negotiations though. “However, it is not a matter of schism between politicians but also between institutions,” he added. The conflict between institutions, he said, should end.
He hoped that political division would meet an end soon and things would improve.
Earlier, speaking to the session, COAS had said the army was not about to launch a new anti-terror operation but it was a reflection of the unflinching trust of people in the army. “There is no more a no-go area in the country,” he added.
