ISLAMABAD – Director General ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said there would be no negotiations with terrorists, unveiling the scale of the country’s ongoing counterterrorism campaign and warning militants that they must either surrender under the Constitution or face relentless military action.
Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, ISPR chief every citizen’s first identity should be Pakistani, adding that the state’s existence is the foundation upon which politics, institutions and individual rights depend. “Without the state, there is no politics. Without the state, there is no identity. Without the state, there is no security,” he said.
Sharing his views on Balochistan’s long-standing challenges, the military spokesperson said the country must now focus on addressing province’s root issues. He alleged that certain influential groups and tribal elites had historically prevented poorer communities from progressing and benefiting from development.
“We will engage with the people of Balochistan, not with disruptive elements,” he said, adding that the state’s priority is to resolve the genuine grievances of the province’s residents while continuing operations against militant groups.
He said security forces had conducted 40,348 intelligence-based counterterrorism operations across the country so far this year, resulting in the killing of 2,084 confirmed terrorists.
Calling the campaign one of the most extensive security operations in recent years, the military spokesperson said security forces carried out an average of 194 operations every day, eliminating around 10 terrorists daily.
According to the DG ISPR, Balochistan witnessed the highest number of counterterrorism operations, while 1,971 operations were conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reflecting the continued focus on dismantling militant networks in the country’s most volatile regions.
He acknowledged the heavy sacrifices made by Pakistan’s security personnel, revealing that 819 officers and soldiers embraced martyrdom during anti-terror operations this year. He also disclosed that 28 suicide attacks have taken place across the country during the same period.
ISPR chief also ruled out any possibility of negotiations with militant groups. “There is no room for talks with terrorists,” he said, adding that militants have only two choices: lay down their arms in accordance with Pakistan’s Constitution and laws or continue to face decisive action by security forces.
He stressed that Pakistan would continue its counterterrorism campaign until militant networks were dismantled.
The military spokesperson claimed investigations had established the involvement of Afghan nationals in recent terrorist incidents in Tank and Karachi.
He further alleged that the Taliban administration in Afghanistan is providing support to terrorist elements, adding that Afghan nationals had been found involved in the majority of bombing incidents investigated by Pakistani authorities.
Ruling out what he described as coordinated propaganda campaign, the DG ISPR said misleading narratives are deliberately being spread to portray Balochistan as unstable, insisting that the reality on the ground is different.
He argued that Pakistan is not becoming a “hard state” in the sense of military rule, explaining that the term refers to a country where the Constitution and the rule of law are enforced equally for everyone. “A hard state does not mean the military governs the country. It means laws are implemented without discrimination,” he said.
DG ISPR holds Press Conference on Counter terrorism, Security Affairs
