No Room for Talks with Terrorists; They Must Surrender, Says Pakistan Army Spokesperson

RAWALPINDI (Terror Monitor) — Pakistan's military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said on Friday that the state has no policy of negotiating with terrorist groups, insisting that militants must lay down their arms and surrender to the law or continue to face security operations.

Speaking at a press briefing on counterterrorism efforts and the country's security situation, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said more than 40,000 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) had been conducted nationwide as part of Pakistan's counterterrorism campaign.

According to the military spokesperson, 31,000 intelligence-based operations were carried out in Balochistan over the past five years, while 7,177 operations were conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said security forces continue to carry out daily operations against terrorist groups across the country.

Lt. Gen. Chaudhry said 819 people have been killed in terrorism-related incidents so far this year, including 303 security personnel and 322 civilians.

He added that security forces had killed 2,084 confirmed terrorists during the same period. On average, he said, the military conducted 194 operations per day, eliminating about 10 terrorists daily.

The ISPR chief also said 28 suicide attacks had taken place this year. He claimed evidence indicated the involvement of Afghan nationals in some attacks in Tank and Karachi.

According to Lt. Gen. Chaudhry, sustained military pressure has forced militant groups to increasingly target soft targets. He referred to groups the military describes as Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan, alleging they were acting with support from Indian handlers.

He said 178 civilians have been killed this year, while militants damaged bridges and roads at 24 locations and carried out 60 arson attacks, describing these incidents as attempts to undermine development projects and create instability.

Commenting on the security situation in Balochistan, the military spokesperson said some quarters deliberately portray the province negatively. He alleged that certain influential figures and tribal leaders were obstructing Balochistan's development because they did not want ordinary people to progress.

He said the state would engage with the people of Balochistan rather than those who oppose the province's development for personal interests.

Lt. Gen. Chaudhry also stressed that Pakistan's Constitution and the rule of law apply equally to everyone. He rejected the notion that the concept of a "hard state" meant military rule, saying it instead referred to governance strictly under the Constitution and the law.

He concluded by saying that every citizen has a responsibility to remain loyal to the state, arguing that political stability, democracy, and national progress depend on a strong and stable Pakistan, which he described as every citizen's "first and last identity."