Over 1,144 terrorists killed 'Operations Zarb-e-Azb, Khyber-I moving successfully'

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa said here on Wednesday that Operations Zarb-e-Azb and Khyber-I were successfully under way in North Waziristan Agency and Tehsil Bara Khyber Agency and major triumph gained by security forces in the operations has greatly helped reduced incidents of terrorism.
Addressing a media briefing here, the DG ISPR said due to successful military operations in NWA and Bara Khyber Agency, the incidents of terrorism and kidnappings for ransom have significantly decreased in Peshawar. He said over 1,100 terrorists have been killed in Operation Zarb-e-Azb while 44 terrorists eliminated and 100 surrendered to security forces in Operation Khyber-I, respectively.
He said main tributaries and population centres in Razmak, Mir Ali, Miranshah have been cleared, while peripheries around Mir Ali, Ghulam Khan and Shewa areas, have also been cleared by the forces. He told the operation Khyber-I was necessitated in order to contain the activities of the fleeing terrorists in NWA and to stop their spill over to the neighbouring Khyber Agency where their regrouping was possible.
Presently, he said, areas onward Datakhel in NWA are being cleared. To a question, he said hideouts of terrorists would be targeted where found and intelligence-based operations would continue without any discrimination. He said Pakistan would not allow anyone to use its soil for terrorist activities. To a question, he said, Taliban leadership, including Maulana Fazlullah, was operating from Afghanistan's Kunar province and we have conveyed our concerns to Afghan government to this effect.
The DG ISPR said the Pakistan government sought the co-operation of Afghan government in countering terrorism from the region, however, he said, "we are not receiving as much support as we required from the Afghan government," he added. Asked about Afghan roaming SIMs on border area, he said, the same has been communicated to the Afghan government to check this issue, adding unless this matter was solved by the Afghan government this problem would continue to pose threats of terrorism.
To a question about frequent unprovoked violations by Indian forces on LoC and Working Boundary, General Bajwa said it could not divide our attention from the western border, adding the India will be getting befitting reply if unprovoked firing continued on the LoC and Working Boundary.
Asked about the talks of a Jirga with Sajna Group, General Bajwa said he has no knowledge about the said Jirga at official level, adding the operation will continue unabated without any discrimination. "We have taken the reports of incidents of targeted killings in Swat very seriously and action would be taken against the responsible," he added.
To a question about firing incidents on airplanes around Peshawar airport, he said certain gangs have been nabbed in this connection and are being investigated. General Bajwa said 2500 intelligence-based operations were continuing against the suspects all over the country.
He said a comprehensive resettlement plan of temporarily displaced people of NWA was prepared as we wanted that after their return they live in a better, safe and peaceful environment in their respective villages and towns and the plan would be implemented in letter and spirit.
An engineering division of the army, headed by a Major General, has been engaged for the reconstruction and resettlement activities in the operation hit areas in NWA and the process of rebuilding has begun. FWO has also been mobilised with focus on reconstruction of the damaged structures. Regarding recovery of the explosive ammunitions, General Bajwa said 132.5 tons of explosive have been seized, while over 2 million ammunition rounds have been confiscated in NWA.
A total of 12,359 weapons of all categories have also been seized during the operation Zarb-e-Azb, he said, adding the seized unsafe explosives have been exploded as it could not be dumped. The tribal elders of Bara Tehsil are extending full co-operation to security forces during operation Khyber-I, General Bajwa maintained. A security plan for Muharram has been chalked out and 134 companies would be deployed in different sensitive and most sensitive areas during Muharram in the country in aid of civil administration, he concluded.