Corps Commanders’ Conference: Army looks to ‘eradicate menace of terrorism on long-term basis’

There is a need to “adopt a whole of the nation and whole of the government approach to eradicate the menace of terrorism on long term basis”, it was discussed at the 257th Corps Commanders’ Conference at GHQ on Friday, presided over by Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir.

According to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meeting reviewed the domestic and regional environment including external and internal security challenges Pakistan confronts.

“The forum affirmed that military leadership is cognizant of the full spectrum of challenges and it resolves to shoulder its constitutionally mandated responsibilities with support of the resilient people of Pakistan,” the press release said.

“It highlighted that while security forces are undertaking intelligence based operations in areas along western border, there was a need to adopt a whole of the nation and whole of the government approach to eradicate the menace of terrorism on long term basis.”

The ISPR said that the forum said that the focused Counter Terrorism campaign against terrorists as approved by the governmen will get rid of “permissive factors of terrorism, extremism and instability in the country.”

The conference was held following the COAS’ in-camera briefing to National Assembly members about the country’s security challenges on Friday.

The COAS said that the outcome of past approach of negotiation with terrorists was nothing but regrouping of the militants, and also outlined the narrative of “Apna [our] Pakistan”, instead of talking about the “Naya [new] Pakistan or Purana [old] Pakistan”.

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The army chief, while responding to the questions by various members of the National Assembly about the ongoing countrywide intelligence-based military operations against the militants, stated that this is a campaign which is going on as per the already approved strategy by the State of Pakistan.

He clarified that this is not a new operation, but a whole of the nation’s approach that reflects the unwavering confidence of the people in which all elements of the state are involved.

Earlier this month, Baloch National Army’s founder Gulzar Imam, deemed a ‘High Value Target’, was apprehended in a “high profile and successful intelligence operation”, the ISPR had said.