Failure to Implement National Action Plan Led to Surge in Terrorism: DG ISPR

RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the recent rise in terrorism across Pakistan stems from multiple factors — primarily the failure to fully implement the National Action Plan (NAP).

Addressing a major press conference in Peshawar, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said that one of the core points of NAP was to build a unified national narrative against terrorism, but that too was ignored. “Instead of countering extremism, some people even began advocating dialogue with terrorists,” he remarked.

He recalled that following the 2014 Army Public School attack, both the political and military leadership formulated the National Action Plan, yet it has never been completely enforced. “If every issue is to be resolved through dialogue, then wars would never have existed — even the Battle of Badr would not have taken place,” he said.

Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif asserted that terrorist networks enjoy local and political patronage, adding that facilitators have deliberately been given space. “The rise in terrorism is the outcome of a well-planned nexus of political, criminal, and militant interests,” he stated.

He revealed that in 2024, security forces conducted **14,535 intelligence-based operations (IBOs)** in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while **10,115 operations** have already been carried out in 2025. “This year, the number of foreign militants killed is the highest in the last decade,” he noted.

The DG ISPR lamented that political interference and selective enforcement have hindered the revised NAP’s implementation. “Why are terrorists not being convicted in KP’s courts? Are we even standing united on a single national narrative?” he asked.

He accused India of using Afghanistan as a base for terrorism, saying that this violates the Doha Agreement, which stated that Afghan soil would not be used for militancy.

Lt Gen Sharif also criticized political leaders for prioritizing politics over national security. “Our soldiers are taking bullets on their chests — not so that your politics can survive. How long will this continue?” he questioned.

He further said that the issue of Afghan refugees has been unnecessarily politicized. “How did this narrative emerge that Afghan refugees should not be repatriated? Those facilitating foreign militants will face consequences,” he warned.

Highlighting weaknesses in law enforcement, he said that “tasks meant for the police are being handled by the army,” noting that the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in KP has only 3,200 personnel — an insufficient number to ensure results.

Lt Gen Sharif emphasized that smuggling in KP has also become linked to terrorism. “A political-criminal nexus allows non-custom paid vehicles to operate freely. If smuggling continues, so will the flow of explosives and weapons,” he warned.

He acknowledged that several countries, including Saudi Arabia, have tried to persuade Afghanistan to act responsibly, but “every terrorist group still maintains some branch inside Afghanistan.”

Regarding former DG ISI Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, the DG ISPR said that “all requirements of justice will be fulfilled” in his case. “The army’s internal accountability process is strong, but it does not act merely on allegations. Once charges are proven, punishment is ensured,” he clarified, adding that delays in field general court-martial proceedings will not compromise fairness.

Lt Gen Sharif urged politicians to keep the army out of politics. “Politicians are respectable, but your politics is not above the state. Keep the army away from cheap propaganda and misleading narratives,” he stated.

He noted that political parties have microphones and platforms to share their statements daily, but the army’s spokesperson cannot respond every day. “You wouldn’t want that either,” he added.

At the start of the briefing, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif paid tribute to the martyrs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, praising the courage and resilience of the province’s people in the face of terrorism.