Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has disclosed that plot to kill Chinese engineers in Besham was hatched in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Addressing a news conference in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, he said the suicide bomber was the Afghan national and the vehicle used in the attack was also prepared in Afghanistan. He said four other key culprits have been arrested by the law enforcement agencies.
The Director General ISPR pointed out that there are twenty-nine thousand Chinese nationals in Pakistan. Of them, twenty-five hundred Chinese are engaged with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-related projects and 5500 others are working on other development projects.
Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said it is our priority to ensure security of all Chinese nationals and all possible steps are being taken in this regard. He said the attack on Chinese engineers was aimed at sabotaging Pakistan-China friendship and hurt the CPEC project.
He expressed firm commitment to completely dismantle terrorist groups and ensure protection of the people. Major Generak Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said security forces conducted thirteen thousand one hundred and thirty-five intelligence based operations against terrorists and their facilitators.
He said about one hundred operations are carried out on daily basis. The ISPR Chief categorically said nobody will be allowed to disturb law and order situation in the country. He said the Army Chief has stated that there is no place for terrorists inside Pakistan.
He said it is because of sacrifices of the security forces personnel and the people that the country is fast heading towards peace. He said those involved in terrorist activities have no links with the state of Pakistan and Islam.
Referring to the situation on the eastern border, the Director General ISPR said Pakistan’s civil and military leadership is fully cognizant of the planning being made in India to divert attention from its internal anarchy.
Alluding to the Indian ceasefire violations, he said Pakistan Army has responded in a befitting manner and it will continue to do so in future. He said Pakistan is fully prepared for the defence of its integrity and sovereignty.
The Director General ISPR said Pakistan stands by their Kashmiri brothers and sisters and will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to them for their right to self-determination. He said India is also involved in extra territorial killings of Sikhs. He said there are also evidences of the involvement of India in assassination of people inside Pakistan.
When asked about May 9 incident, the Director General ISPR said it is not the case of Pakistan Army, but of the whole Pakistani nation.
Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry emphasized that those involved in the attacks on military installations and disgrace of martyrs’ memorials should be brought to justice at the earliest in accordance with the law of the land and the constitution.
He said doing so is also important to ensure that the people have faith in the justice system. He said there are irrefutable evidences of the involvement of a particular party in the May 9 events. He said the narrative based on falsehood cannot sustain.
The Director General ISPR said they have no objection on the formation of a Judicial Commission for investigation into May 9 incidents. He, however, said this Commission then should also probe into the objectives of 2014 sit-in and the attacks on the PTV and parliament.
He stressed that it should also be seen as to how the resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were utilized for another onslaught on the federal capital. The Director General ISPR also mentioned the attempts made by a particular party to sabotage Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Responding to a question, the ISPR Chief said the constitution of Pakistan clearly states that Pakistan’s integrity, security and defence cannot be undermined in the name of freedom of expression. He said it also bars from harming Pakistan’s foreign relations with friendly countries.
Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said freedom of expression does not allow ruining moral values of the society, disturbing public order and tarnishing integrity and dignity of the higher judiciary. He hoped that the parliament will go for necessary legislation to check lies, propaganda and fake news.
