No Talks With Terrorists; They Must Surrender or Face Elimination, Says DG ISPR

RAWALPINDI: Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said there is no room for negotiations with terrorists, warning that they must surrender their weapons or face elimination.

Addressing a media briefing in Rawalpindi, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that a deliberate impression is being created that the situation in Balochistan is deteriorating, whereas the facts suggest otherwise.

He said that the concept of a “hard state” does not mean military rule but rather a state in which the Constitution and the law are applied equally to everyone. “A hard state is one where all affairs are conducted in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.

The DG ISPR revealed that 2,084 terrorists have been killed so far this year, adding that Afghan nationals were involved in recent terrorist incidents in Tank and Karachi.

He further alleged that the Taliban government is assisting terrorist elements and claimed that Afghan nationals have been found involved in the majority of bomb attacks carried out in Pakistan.

Lt Gen Chaudhry stressed that the existence of the state is fundamental to politics, institutions, and national identity. He said that rights come with responsibilities and that loyalty to the state is a basic duty of every citizen, while adherence to the Constitution and the law is an obligation for all.

He emphasized that every citizen’s foremost and ultimate identity should be that of being Pakistani, stating, “If there is a state, there is politics; if there is a state, there is life.”

Commenting on Balochistan, the military spokesperson said the time has come to address the province’s underlying issues. He alleged that certain influential groups and tribal leaders do not want children from poor families to progress and prosper.

“We will not engage with specific elements; we will speak to the people of Balochistan and focus on resolving their problems,” he said.

Reiterating the state’s position on militancy, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said there would be no negotiations with terrorists, warning that those who refuse to surrender would be dealt with decisively in accordance with the state’s counterterrorism policy.