Terror Surge Due to Failure to Implement National Action Plan: DG ISPR
“We will not accept any provincial government that does not support anti-terror operations,” says military spokesperson
PESHAWAR: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Thursday that the recent rise in terrorism is a direct result of the **failure to fully implement the National Action Plan (NAP)**. Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, he reiterated that the **Pakistan Army remains committed to eradicating terrorism from the country**, emphasizing that justice and national security will not be compromised.
“The National Action Plan was a consensus document among political parties to eliminate terrorism,” he said, “but the previous government removed several key points from it, which weakened our national response.”
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif revealed that **terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)** is being fueled by a **political and criminal nexus**, with certain local and political elements providing support to militants and facilitators. “A well-thought-out plan allowed terrorists and their facilitators to gain space. India continues to use Afghanistan as a base for terrorism against Pakistan,” he added.
According to the DG ISPR, over **14,500 operations were conducted in KP in 2024**, resulting in the elimination of **769 terrorists**, while **10,115 operations** have been carried out so far in 2025, killing **917 militants** — the **highest number in the past decade**. During this time, **272 army personnel, 140 policemen, and 165 civilians** were martyred.
He stressed that the **army’s accountability process is transparent and based on evidence, not mere allegations**, saying, “Trials and punishments follow due legal procedure, and justice will be ensured.”
Rejecting the politicization of military matters, the DG ISPR stated, “Do not drag the army into petty politics. Our decisions are for the state, not for any political group. When personal or political relations override institutional ones, accountability becomes inevitable.”
The DG ISPR further said that the **security situation in KP** differs from other provinces. “Why are terror incidents not happening in Sindh and Punjab? Because there is no political-terror nexus there. In KP, governance gaps and political protection have allowed terrorism to persist,” he said.
He also warned that **the Pakistan Army will not accept any provincial government that refuses to cooperate in counterterrorism operations**, adding, “Are you suggesting that leadership opposed to the state should be brought in? That is unacceptable. The state of Pakistan is strong and united.”
Commenting on Afghanistan, he stated that Pakistan has asked Kabul to **prevent its territory from being used for cross-border terrorism**. “Afghanistan must not allow non-state actors to operate freely. Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghans generously, but we will take whatever steps are necessary to protect our sovereignty,” he asserted.
Concluding the briefing, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said, “We will do whatever is needed for Pakistan’s sovereignty. Facilitators of terrorism have three options: hand over foreign militants to the state, fight alongside the state, or face the consequences.”
He warned that **those who place personal or political interests above Pakistan’s unity and security will be held accountable**, reaffirming that **“Pakistan Zindabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zindabad — this reality cannot be changed.”**
